A Westside story
by laurel alex
Summary: Max and Fang are both in gangs in NYC. What happens when both hateful gangs plan to fight each other for dominance? Who will win? And what if Fang and Max are madly in love? What will happen then? Mid. of T and M. R&R please. FAX FAX FAX FAX FAX FAX FAX!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! I really hope that you like this story! It's based mainly on the story Westside Story but I wanted to change it around and make it my own and make it a Maximum Ride story! I really hope that you like it! And I'd like to dedicate this story to my English teacher, who's been talking too much about Westside Story in class instead of teaching us our real class! Hahahahah! So anyway, please R&R! I want to know what ya think of it so far! Thanks!**

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A Westside story

_Prologue_

_Strength._

_You can have everything in the world, but even if you did, you really had nothing if you didn't have that one thing._

_You have nothing without strength, I'm sure of it now._

_I can live without everything in this whole world if I only have strength. That is what I live on. It carries me threw the day and captures my soul with relief at night._

_That's all I want in life:_

_Strength, because it's all I need . . ._

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-Max

Have you ever noticed how quickly the sun sets at night? And then how quickly it comes back up into a sunrise in the morning? All of a sudden, you're overwhelmed by the radiance and beautiful light that is beheld in front of you, then the next second, everything is dark. Nothing's left but the darkness. The darkness that lurks in your shadows, that fallows you through the days and the rest of your life. Gone, just like that. Everything that had meaning to you, and has ever made you smile, gone.

I've experienced something rather similar to this, only my sun didn't come back up in the morning to shine.

When I was eight years old, Angel – my sister – only one year old, my mom made choices that shattered my life into a million pieces. And the worst part about that is that I couldn't put my life back together.

One day, just like she always would, she'd go into the kitchen of our small apartment in New York City, dug threw the small fridge and pull out a large bottle of vodka. It was the morning, and she was supposed to be taking me to school. I was all ready for her to get her keys and tell me to go to the car, my little Dora Explorer backpack and lunchbox all ready for my first day of second grade. "Mamma, it's time to go!" I trilled, jumping up and down eagerly at the front door, "Mamma, I don't wanna miss my first day of school!"

My mom dragged herself up from the couch, groaning under her breath the whole time as she swiped her keys off the table, grabbed Angel and pushed me out the door.

Mamma was so much nicer when she was sober, I recall.

Mamma hobbled to the car, shaking and got us three in the car.

She backed out of the parking lot and into the busy streets, uncoordinated. The car screeched and jerked as she plunged on the gas and stomped on the brakes.

"Mamma . . ." I murmur as Angel starts crying in her baby seat.

She turns around in her seat, her jaw set and her eyes burning, "What?" She snapped at me, "I never wanted to have a kid at the age of seventeen!" She screams, "And even though I didn't want that, I'm stuck with you, Max! I never wanted you!"

Tears started to sting my eyes and I tried to wipe them away. I knew she didn't mean it, but her words still tugged at my heart.

"God! Why did you do this to me?!" She screamed at no one. "I don't want this life!"

"Mamma!" I cried and pointed out at the window at a bus that was coming our way.

She took one last look at me, her eyes desperate and loving and scared. "I love you," she whispered.

Then, the bus hit our car, the pressure braking all the glass windows, crunching the sides of the doors and flipping the car over twice.

And just like that, all of my light became darkness when Mamma's eyes didn't open.

Gone, just like that.

I was left in the darkness.

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**Alrighty then . . . So, tell me what ya think. If ya don't like this chapter I promise that the next chapter will be even better! Thanks for reading and please R&R! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Tell me how ya like it! Please R&R! Thank's for reading! :D**

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A Westside Story

-Max (8 years later after the car-crash)

I tried my hardest to pull my act together for Angel. It's probably because of her that I didn't go insane in this mental house . . .

Okay, so it's not really a mental house – it's a foster home. If I could have, I would have gotten Angel and I a house of our own; instead Angel and I live in a run-down apartment with four other kids, all of them ranging form the ages of three to fifteen years old. All of them boys.

If I wasn't stupid sixteen years old, and if maybe I was 18, maybe I could have given Angel and I a better life. Maybe I could have given us both a better future as well.

But I guess I'll never know.

"Max," Angel tugged on the hem of my sweatshirt. "It's time to go to school."

I tried smiling sweetly at her, "Okay, just let me tell Dianna that we're going."

Running threw the hallways in our small apartment I found Dianna, our foster mom, passed out on her bed in her room.

I kneeled to the side of her bed and shook her lightly. She stirred a little. "Dianna, I'm taking Angel to school now, okay?"

"Mmm . . . kay," her eyes fluttered and then she quickly fell back asleep, snoring lightly.

I rolled my eyes and ran back over to Angel and nudged her softly out the door of the apartment. Angels hand slipped into mine as she skipped gleefully down the hallways. She hummed softly to herself and her blonde curls bounced up and down.

Today was her first day of second grade, and she was more than ready. She had every supply she might need, my cell phone number if she needed it, and . . . she had my backpack and lunch box that I did when I was going to second grade.

Or at least on my way to second grade . . .

We walked down the streets of New York City as people of all sorts walked past us. Tall people, small people, weird people, Goth, Hippie, young, old . . . gangsters. You name 'em, they were all there walking past Angel and I on our way to school.

I pulled Angel tightly to me as we pass a group of people I knew . . . people that I didn't want within a 10-mile radius in with Angel.

We approached the school just as the bell rang. I bent down to Angel's height and adjusted her jacket, kissing her quickly on the nose, "Be a good girl, promise me?"

Angel nodded her head up and down, determined to do so, "I promise!"

"Good," I ruffled her hair and then stood up as she ran off into the school.

Now, all I had to do was take care of some business.

Quickly I ran back down the streets, dodging random people and muttering fast apologizes as I speed past them.

I made a sharp turn into an alley then slowed my pace. The alley was tall and dark, three walls blocking me in except for the opening that I came in threw. I stood in the middle and waited, my body facing the second wall where there was a dead end.

Someone cleared their throat behind me and I spun around to come face to face with my gang's leader.

"How ya doin', Maxie?" He said in a mocking voice.

"Sam," I spat at him.

"Now, now, Maxie, be nice to your leader," He said, starting to circle me, still only a few inches from my face, "You wouldn't want me to teach you a lesson, now would ya?" Sam wore a fitted black T-shirt, showing off his muscles and tattoo's. He had a mean buzz cut and a harsh bone structure with dark brown eyes, that matched his chocolate colored skin tone.

"She ain't gonna listen, man." Johnny, another gang member said, "Beatin' her up ain't gonna make 'er listen."

"Ey, ain't that right?" Cal, another gang member joined in. "Maybe, Maxie, you should introduce us to your 'lil sissy. Maybe then we could think of somethin' . . . she is one fine 'lil girly . . ."

I cringed at the thought of Cal being any where near Angel. "You keep your perverted little thoughts away from her, got it?" I snarled, really getting angry now.

"Aww," Sam said playfully, "We were just kidding, right Cal?"

Cal's eyes narrowed on me and he licked his lips.

"Cal?" Sam repeated.

"Yea, just playin' 'round, Maxie. No worries," he said dully.

The rest of the gang, Johnny, Chase and Jeb all nodded in fake agreement.

"Whatever," I hissed threw clenched teeth.

"Max," Sam said, placing a hand on my shoulder which I shrugged off. He ignored that, "We promised that we'd keep this little sister of yours safe. We ain't gonna touch her. The deal was this if we protected her-"

"Then I'd do anything you'd ask me to . . ." I finished for him.

He smiled, "Exactly. And what was one of those things that I made you do?"

"Drop out of school . . ." I said quietly.

"And why would I make you drop out of school?" He pressed.

I looked up at him, straight in the eyes and then said, "So I could join your gang."

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**Okay, you know what to do . . . at least I think so. Anyways, press the review button and write me! Tell me weither or not ya like the story so far! Pleaaaase just do it! R&R THank you!**


	3. Chapter 3

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A Westside Story 3

-Fang

Life isn't good right now, I have to admit.

There's just me, Iggy –both of us 18- and then there was Gazzy, who was ten, and Nudge who was fifteen. All of us living in the same house. None of us related to each other in anyway possible. No adults at all.

Here's what happened four years ago:

Me, I was fourteen, and very, very independent. Mommy and Dad didn't like my attitude (I didn't even have one, God dammit!) and they said that they were going to send me to military school, to get a "personality check".

So, a few nights before I would have left to go to camp, Iggy and I snuck out, him being my best friend in all, and we'd set out, run away, planning on never coming back home again.

You might be asking yourself _how in the world could two teenagers live on their own in New York City? _Well, I've gotta say, we really lucked out. We found jobs, but we could only work for a few hours since we were still "minors" at the time, and we found an abandoned old warehouse that was still in pretty good shape. And that's where we lived.

Until just recently, we were able to afford a small apartment, and that worked perfectly because we weren't minors anymore.

Where did Gazzy and Nudge come from?

Well, if you know, please tell Iggy and I, because we'd sure as heck like to know.

One night, a few years ago, when Ig and I were still living in the warehouse, I woke up to a sound towards the back door.

I got up and went to investigate, to see that was going on. I found the two of them, Nudge and Gazzy, both huddled up ina a corner.

So, I took them in and since then, we've all gotten attached to each other. They're like the brother and sister I never had . . .

Anyways, now that Iggy and I have pulled both of our money together we were able to afford a crappy apartment, but hey, it had heat, it was somewhere to live and well, it was a million times better than an old warehouse.

What jobs do we have? Well . . .

Iggy and I were . . . sorta in a gang.

But the little kids don't know about that. They'd be scared or beg us to drop out.

But even if they did beg us, we couldn't drop out . . .

You see, us being in our gang is what pays for our apartment.

What we do in the gang . . . well, we're not exactly the "nicest gang" in town.

I guess you'll find out was we do to make money . . .

And, I can't promise that it's a good way . . .

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**Short but . . . please R&R! THank youuuu! **


	4. Chapter 4

A Westside Story 4

The rest of the gang and I (we call ourselves Soaring Shadows) walked towards Angels school, passing the High School on our way. The bell rang and teenagers all my age pilled out the doors. You have no idea how badly I wanted to be like one of them . . . able to have an education . . . having a safe life . . . having real friends. They really didn't know how lucky they were.

"Yo Maxie," Cal said, snapping his fingers in front of me. "Get out of that little fantasy world of yours and get back to reality, will ya?"

I scoffed but kept walking along side of the road with them, running across the streets and dodging random cars that honked and slammed on their brakes to avoid from hitting us.

Yeah, I know. Not the safest thing to do, Max. But I was late on picking up Angel from school, so I couldn't wait for traffic sign to tell me when to go and when not to. I didn't have the time.

I ran down the side walks, the gang calling my name from behind me, telling me to wait up for them. But they didn't get it I guess. If I was late picking Angel up again, the office was gonna have a little talk with my foster mom . . .

And it wouldn't be pretty, I was sure of that.

Turning sharply on a corner into an alley I knew that was a short cut to the Elementary school, as I turned, I ran into someone, hard and fell down backwards.

"_Max_!" I heard Sam's booming voice.

I looked up at the boy that I'd run into, "Watch where you're going, idiot," I snarled.

He was tall, muscular, with a dark glossy fringe of hair that fell into his mysterious eyes. His skin was a light olive and he wore a dark pair of denim jeans and an old gray sweatshirt. All in all, he was gorgeous.

"_Me_?" He laughed, "_You_ ran into _me_, remember? Did you hit your head or something?"

Sam ran over to me and pulled me away from the stranger. "Back off, punk," he snarled.

"Oh!" The guy said suddenly with realization from Sam, "I see. This is your girl, Sammy?"

I said, "I'm not-"

"Just watch yourself, Fang. Tell your whole gang to watch themselves." Sam's face was cold and deadly.

'Fang' put up his hands in defense, "Hey, I was just standing here and then that chic ran into me."

I pulled myself up and stared at him dead in the eyes, "_That chic_? You have gotta be kidding me. Can you say sexist for me?"

Fang scowled at me as Johnny and Chase pulled me away.

Chase, the nicest member in the gang, said to me in a hushed voice, "We should go get Angel now, Sam'll take care of this guy."

I let them drag me away, as Fang stared at me, his eyes watchful. I saw a flicker of emotion behind his eyes and then everything was gone.

"Come on," Johnny urged me.

"Coming," I said in a daze.

I stared back at Fang as I walked away.

Just as I was about to turn another corner to get Angel I looked back at the rest of my gang and Fang as a group of other people merged from the darkness of the alley. They lined up behind Fang, each one of them looking just as fierce as Fang had.

I had this uncanny feeling in the pit of my stomach that something bad was gonna happen.

And it would just be the beginning of it too.

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**Hey everyone! Please please please R&R! THank you for reading and please check out some of my other books on my profile that I've written! Thank ya!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey people so please R&R thank you!**

A Westside story 5

-Fang

I stepped out from the curb of the alley, moving within the shadows so I would stay unseen – that's what I do best, going unnoticed.

The rest of the gang – Iggy, Ryan, Pat, Ren, Troy, Ari, Junior, and Brian – were all behind me. Our leader, Isaiah, was . . . well, let's just say a little busy right now – so that meant that I would be the leader of out gang while he was gone.

I was at the corner of the alley when a blur knocked into me. I let out oof_! _And the person fell to the ground. She looked up at me, her hands on the grubby sidewalks, her big dark brown eyes shinning up at me with a fierce but yet innocent radiance. She had pore less tan skin, freckles that dotted her cheeks, and gorgeous golden blonde hair that fell in long glossy ringlets down her back. She batted her long eyelashes with sudden realization of what had happened, then she looked back up at me, her face expressionless.

"Max!" I heard someone yell. I tore my gaze from the beautiful girl and looked down the streets at the boy who'd been calling her.

I looked back at 'Max'. Her eyes were suddenly as hard as stone.

She snarled at me, "Watch where you're going, idiot."

Whooooa. Rewind. Wha? This chic has gotta be trippin'.

"Me?" I said, appauled, letting out a dry laugh, "_You_ ran into _me_, remember? Did you hit your head on something?"

The person that'd been calling her reached her and pulled Max back, away from me. Recognition dawned on me, and I looked at the boy closely.

Sam.

Sam Davidson.

The leader of The Blackouts.

He was here . . . pulling this girl away from me . . . looking like he was about the knock somebody's lights out.

Sam's face was hard, "Back off, punk," he sneered at me.

Well, if it was gonna be that way . . . then I might as well have a little fun with him . . .

"Oh!" I said dumbly. "I see," I said nodding, "This is your girl, Sammy?" I gestured to Max.

Max was about to say "I'm not-" but Sam cut her off.

"Just watch yourself, Fang. Tell your whole gang to watch themselves." Sam's face was cold and deadly.

I put up my hands defending myself, "Hey, I was just standing here and then that chic ran into me."

Max's jaw dropped to the ground, "_That chic? _You have got to be kidding me. Can you say sexist for me?" She asked.

I gritted my teeth and stared at her coldly as two of their other gang members nudged her away.

They muttered things to her, convincing her to leave.

Max hurried off with them towards the Elementary school as my gang stepped out behind me. She looked back at me and dread flooded her face as she took in the sight of how big my gang was.

I knew by the look in her eyes she could tell things weren't gonna end pretty.

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"Fang . . ." Nudge said slowly, getting up from the couch to come over to me and Iggy as we walked through the doors. "What happened to your lip and you eye? And Iggy, why are you limping and holding your arm like that?" She asked worriedly.

I shrugged and walked past her into the kitchen to get some ice from the fridge. If she was worrying about how Iggy and I looked like, then she'd be freaking out at how the gang and I'd left Max's gang in the alley. They were such wimps.

I smiled then then grimaced at the pain of smiling and pressed a bag of cold shivering ice to my split lip and my soon-to-be black eye.

Iggy plopped himself onto the couch, groaning as he elevated his leg onto the arms of the couch sides.

"What. Happened." Nudge growled under her breath.

Smirking at her I said, "We . . . ran into a little trouble on the way home. That's it."

She stared at me, like she was waiting for more of an answer than that.

Well, she wasn't getting it. Too bad for her I guess.

I went and sat next to Iggy on the side of the couch, flipping threw the TV channels . . . trying to distract myself.

From Max.

I couldn't stop thinking about her.

How she was so blameless and innocent, but then the next minute she was cold and deadly.

How her eyes sparkled in the bright sun.

How her skin glowed . . .

And I'd only just met her.

And I couldn't stop thinking about her.

**R&R R&R R&R! I know you want to! Just press the button! Press the review buttonn! Right now! Do it! R&R!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey viewers, sorry it took me so long to finally upload another chapter: don't hate me. I have a TON of things going on, and today I'm sick, so I have the day to do whatever I want. So, here's the next chapter. Once again, I'm sorry. Please R&R this chapter and I hope that you like it! THank you for reading!**

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A Westside Story 6

-Max

I rushed to the front door as I heard a knock, knowing in my mind that it was Sam and the rest of the gang.

When I opened the door, I gasped mentally.

Yup, that's how bad it was.

"Max . . ." Sam said slowly as he walked in without asking to come in. The rest of the gang followed in after him.

Everyone had cuts, bruises, and they were all limping.

Cal was clutching his arm, biting his lip hard with his top teeth. His usual tan complexion was now a pale unhealthy white. The same went along for the rest of the guys.

Sam helped himself into the medicine cabinet and brought out the first-aid kit.

My foster mom was somehow okay with all the guys always coming by. She knew that I was in a gang, and how I was just trying to protect Angel in this bad neighbor hood. She knew that I was a bad influence, that I was bad ass and violent when I had to be.

And yet she was ok with everything.

I shook away the thought of my careless foster mom. "Are you all alright?" I asked, trying to sound more concerned.

Everyone in my gang stopped and turned to stare at me, Sam looking at me like I was crazy, "What do you think, Maxie? Do we look alright to you?" He hissed under his breath.

My eyes narrowed, "Actually, it looks like you all got your ass's handed to yourselves," I shot back at him.

"Watch your mouth, girly," he warned.

I snorted, "Yeah right. Me? Quiet? Think again, Sammy boy."

Sam clenched his teeth. "I said, _watch your mouth_."

"And I said, not happening." I crossed my arms.

The rest of the gang stood by and watched as Sam and I stared off at each other.

Eventually, Sam looked away his eyes as hard as stone when he looked back up at his gang, "Let's go," he said in a steel like voice. "We have better places to be."

I rolled my eyes as the gang walked out the door. Sam stood at the door, his hand on the doorknob. "We stood up for you Maxie; we could have let them rip you to shreds, you know that right? We saved your ass."

"Something tells me that you don't really like this guy, Fang," I said sarcastically.

Sam breathed out deeply.

I took a step closer to him, "I would have been fine. You were the one with the smart-ass comments when you were talking to him, remember?" I cocked my head to the side.

"Watch out for yourself, Maxie. You think you know what's safe and whats not." He started walking out the door. "But you're wrong," he added as he shut the door behind him.

I shook my head as I locked the door behind him.

_He's just messing with you, Max. _I told myself. _He's just trying to get inside your head._

"Well," I said out loud, "It's working."

I went into the small room that I shared with Angel and kneeled down next to my bed and pulled out the long lean black case that I've kept a secret from everyone.

Even Angel.

I slung the strap over my shoulder and I dashed out the door and outside.

After Angel and I were put in a foster home, when we were placed here in NYC, I had to find place in this crazy city that I could call my own. That I could escape to whenever I needed to.

And that's where I was going right then at that moment.

There was a park a few blocks down from the apartment that I lived in. The park was bordered with a small bit of woods. Kids played on the park equipment and threw coins in the fountain, making wish's that I highly doubted would never come true.

But even though I knew the wish's wouldn't come true, I still threw a coin in everyday, hoping that Angel and I will some day be 100% safe and hidden away from harm.

I went and sat down on the edge of the fountain and unlatched the case that I'd been carrying. I took out the what it held inside: my acoustic guitar.

How'd a girl like me, a foster child, be able to get a guitar? Well, lets just say that some manager at a very close music shop wasn't too happy when he noticed a guitar missing on one of the shelves . . .

Anyway. When I saw this guitar in the music shop, I knew it had to be mine. It was sleek and black, the base glossy and perfect. I wanted it so badly and I didn't even know why.

I didn't even know how to play guitar!

But none the less, it still had to belong to me.

Well, I knew how to play now. I taught myself how to play. I don't even know what the chords of the strings are that I strum but I can figure out any tune. I can play any song and I won't even know what each string is called.

As I perched the guitar on my lap a few people that were walking by noticed and slowed down to watch me play.

I jumped right into a song that just popped up into my head.

_Hey darling, I hope you're good tonight  
And I know you don't feel right when I'm leaving  
Yeah, I want it but no, I don't need it  
Tell me something sweet to get me by  
'Cause I can't come back home 'til they're singin'_

La, la la la, la la la  
'Til everyone is singin'

If you can wait 'til I get home  
Then I swear to you that we can make this last  
(La la la)  
If you can wait 'til I get home  
Then I swear come tomorrow, this will all be in our past  
It might be for the best

Hey sweetie, I need you here tonight  
And I know that you don't wanna be leaving  
Yeah, you want it but I can't help it  
I just feel complete when you're by my side  
But I know you can't come home 'til they're singin'

La, la la la, la la la  
'Til everyone is singin'  
La, la la la, la la la

If you can wait 'til I get home  
Then I swear to you that we can make this last  
(La la la)  
If you can wait 'til I get home  
Then I swear come tomorrow, this will all be in our past  
It might be for the best

You know you can't give me what I need  
And even though you mean so much to me  
I can wait through everything  
Is this really happening?  
I swear I'll never be happy again  
And don't you dare say we can just be friends  
I'm not some boy that you can sway  
We knew it'd happen eventually

La, la la la, la la la  
Now everybody's singin'  
La, la la la, la la la  
Now everybody's singin'  
(If you can wait 'til I get home)  
La, la la la, la la la  
Now everybody's singin'  
(Then I swear we can make this last)  
La, la la la, la la la  
Now everybody's singin'

If you can wait 'til I get home  
Then I swear we can make this last

I let out a breath that I'd been holding as I strummed my guitar one last time. The small crowd of people that'd formed around me started clapping and I gave a small smile as I gathered my stuff together.

Everyone started walking away and as I was putting my guitar back in my case I noticed someone still standing in front of me.

I looked up to see Fang, his hands in his black denim jean pockets and wearing a black T-shirt that showed off ever muscle on his chest. I took in a shuddering breath as I realized he was just looking at me.

"You do know that song is supposed to be sung by two people," he said, "A boy and a girl."

I tried to look busy getting my case over my shoulder. I shrugged at him and started walking away.

"Hey!" He called after me as he jogged up to my side. "You never did say sorry for bumping into me earlier."

I scoffed, "And you never really said sorry for beating my gang up," I pointed out.

"Good point," he said.

I stopped in my tracks. "What do you want, Fang?"

He looked down then took a step closer to me and then he looked down at me threw his long eyelashes.

My breath caught. He was even more gorgeous than I thought. I was close enough to see that his large dark eyes had small flecks of silver and gold; a girl could seriously get lost in his eyes. His skin was a perfect copper and his lips, Oh God; they were flawless, just like the rest of him, really.

_Snap out of it, Maximum! _A voice in the back of my head shouted at me. _Stay focused and stop having these stupid Dumb-Blonde moments! You know better than to space out like that over a boy!_

I shook my head.

"I want to know why we have to fight like this." He said in a hushed voice that sent shivers down my spine. "I don't even know you, and you don't even know me. Why does everything have to be war?"

I gritted my teeth, then started walking back to the apartment, "Just because it does." I said simply.

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**Okay, so I thought that this chapter was pretty good. Please R&R and I'll try and update soon! Thanks for reading! Now, R&R!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Me: *Sneeze* Ahhh-chooo! Ahhh-chooo!**

**Me: *Pauses for a second. Waits. Then . . .* Ahhhhhhhhh-chooooooooo!**

**_Three minutes later_**

**Brother: *Shouts from down the hallway* Bless you!**

**Yeah, that's my life.**

**Okay, so the song that Max played in the last chapter was called "If it means a lot to you" by A Day to Remember. I love that song so much and yeah..**

**So, anyways, my lacrosse season is over and I have more free time than you could possibly believe! Annnnddd summer break starts in 2 more weeks! Exams are this coming week and I'm scared outa my wits! So, here's the next chapter, I hope you like it, and please R&R! Thank you so much for reading!**

A Westside story 7

-Fang

_What the hell is wrong with me? I don't just go out of my way like that to socialize with the "enemy"! _I mentally slapped myself.

She was so arrogant, rude and intimidating . . .

And yet I still didn't want to fight with her.

I didn't want to fight.

End of story.

I was so sick and tired of fighting against every gang in the city, battling for dominance, and hurting people I knew weren't meant to be harmed.

And I wanted to fight Max even less.

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-Max

I bumped into people on my way to Angels School. I know it was rude and I could tell that I was hurting people by the way they were yelling at me as I walked away but I really didn't give a damn.

But hey, this is me, Max. I never give a damn.

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-Fang

_Well_, I thought, _that certainly didn't go like I'd planned._

I walked back to my apartment, dragging my feet along the dirty sidewalks, my hands in my pockets, my head tilted downwards.

To anyone around me I probably looked emo or somethin'.

But I didn't care.

All I did care about was ending this madness. We didn't have to fight for dominance over the city. The city's not even ours. It's not anyone's.

I thought about this long and hard and then paused in my tracks. I peeked back over my shoulder, looking to where Max had wondered off too.

Squinting my eyes, I could just make out the small figure of her walking down the sidewalk the opposite way away from me.

Max was walking quickly away, her guitar slung over her shoulders as she made her way to the Elementary School again, just like before.

_Don't do this, Fang. _I thought to myself. _This wouldn't be right of you._

I took in a shuttering breath as people passed me while I stood right in the middle of everyone else's pathway. I closed my eyes and then suddenly made a sharp turn and starting going towards Max.

As I made sure that she couldn't see me, I felt mildly like a freak, and majorly like a stalker.

Why the hell was I doing this? Well, if you know the answer, please tell me, because I sure as hell didn't know why.

By now, I was about five feet away from Max, walking behind her in the swarm of people from rush hour. Max paused and looked out of the corner of her eyes, walking more slowly and hesitantly.

She spun around as our eyes met briefly for a second, but before she could see me I jumped into the nearest ally. I peered over edge of the wall to see Max rubbing her head, looking irritated and tired. And I couldn't blame her, I guess.

Max shook her head then started walking back to the Elementary School again, walking a little faster and more determined than before.

Finally, she got to the School in a rush.

A smile so bright and warming that it almost made me want to cry at how beautiful she was spread across her face as she knelt to the ground near the door and held out her arms. A small little girl that looked just like a younger version of Max, only with big blue eyes instead of brown, ran into Max arms.

Max embraced her and rubbed the small girls back. She took her backpack from her and held out her hand to her, which the little girl cheerfully accepted.

Then, a very tall woman walked out of the school building, looking all official and crap. She had short pin-straight brown hair and a narrow face, her glasses perched low on her long nose.

She approached Max, and the little girl - who I'm assuming was her sister, I guess - and gestured for Angel to walk away. I moved a little closer so that I could hear what they were talking about. I walked into the school yard, pretending that I was looking for a sibling of mine that I was supposed to be picking up just like Max.

"Maximum, I don't know what to do anymore." The woman said to Max in a very stern voice. "You're consistently late for getting Angel."

"Miss Jones, please, I'm sorry. I'll do better, I promise," Max said in a worried voice.

Miss Jones pinched the brim of her nose like she was frustrated. "Max-"

"Please. She's everything to me."

She stared at Max for a long minute, then in a low voice said, "If this happens one more time, Maximum, things are going to get more serious around here. I'll have to report this and then she'll be put into better child care . . . you know what that means, don't you?"

Max looked like she was about to cry; her bottom lip was quivering. She nodded, "It's means that Angel . . . would be taken away from me . . ." She whispered.

Jones nods, "Yes. max, you're a very good girl. You're strong and noble and I know that you'd do anything to keep Angel safe. I can see that, anyone can. But even though you love her that much to keep her, you're still a child yourself. You can't be expected to play the role of her mother. Angel deserves to live in an enviroment where she can grow up and live safley without worries or any troubles. And so do you. Don't you think that Angel deserves that much? To have a good life?"

Max nods again, slowly. "Yeah, she does. But I'm trying as hard as I can. I can't let her be taken away from me."

"You and I both know that if anything that I think might damage her childhood happens then I have to report it to ChildCare. And you also know that if I do that, she _will_ be taken away." Miss Jones looks at Max for a long second, "It's not like I want to do this to you, Max."

"I know," Max says in a quiet voice.

Miss Jones sighs heavily, "Why don't you go and get Angel now. I think I saw her wonder off with some of her friends near the playground, okay?"

Max walks away to get Angel without saying anything.

Angel see's Max coming and runs over to her again, and hugs Max's legs. Max smiles weakly and rubs her back, takes her backpack from her and slings it over her shoulder along with her guitar and then they start walking away from the School.

I shake my head, thinking, _what the hell is going on?_

**I seriously think that I had too much "fun in the sun" today. Me and my friend were at our neighborhood pool and we stayed there for five hours. The whole time I didn't want to go in the water because the pool had just opened and it was freezing. Now, my skin is tan and a bit irritable. Ugh... ouch, it hurts. :( please R&R and make me feel better! hahaha thanks again for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

A Westside Story 8

-Max

"Max, what's wrong?" Angel asked as we walked home from her Elementary School hand in hand.

I tried pulling myself back together, just for her sake. "Nothing, Ange. Everything's fine, I promise, 'kay?"

She looked at me in an odd way, then nodded her little head, making her short ringlets of blonde to bounce around her angelic face in a halo.

I made a 360, feeling like someone was watching me, but as I turned around, no one seemed to pop out and give me a vibe that screamed "I'm watching you" so I turned back around and lifted Angel up in my arms so I could carry her around my waist. She loved it when I did this.

Her smile was radiant, and made me almost forget about all the worries that had been keeping me up at night. She truly was my pride and joy.

Suddenly, something in the shadows moved as we passed a dark alley.

My eyes narrowed.

And out walked Fang.

"Fang?" I asked, half relieved, half pissed off.

"Yeah," he nodded and put his hands in his pockets. "That's me."

Angel tugged on the hem of me sweatshirt, since I'd put her down on the ground.

"Yes, sweetie?" I asked her.

"Who's he?" She asked in a cheerful voice.

"Uhmm . . . that's Fang."

She shook her small head, "I don't know him. Who is he to you?"

Oh, jeez.

It's not like I could tell her that his gang and my gang had a big fight. No, that would scare her too much.

"He's . . . a friend of mine," I said, having a hard time lying to her.

She looked up at me and smiled mischievously. "You two would make a good couple."

I gaped at her, as I saw Fang crack a smile from the corner of my eyes.

"Are you going to ask my sister out?" Angel said to Fang, turning to him. "Are you gonna kiss her?"

"Whoa!" I said, snapping out of my daze. I clasped my hand over Angel's mouth and then looked up at Fang. "See ya!"

"Ehhh wait up," He caught my arm just as I was about to start walking away with Angel. And dammit, he had a death grip. So I couldn't rip my arm away from him.

"What?" I snarled at him.

He smiled sweetly then took a step closer. I lost my breath for a second.

Fang spoke in such a low voice to me, I was concerned that I might not have heard him when he said this: "Max, can you please, _please _explain to me why it has to be this way?"

The desperation in his voice sent shivers down my back, and for a mere second I didn't know what the heck to say. But, then I straightened my back and stood tall next to him, staring him dead in the eye, "Ya know what?" He raised an eyebrow at me. "I don't have to explain anything to you. But none the less, I still will: We're both from two different gangs, two different worlds, practically. Not to sound to dramatic or anything but it's true. My gang is my . . . family, I guess. And I stand by them no matter what. Since Sam apparently doesn't exactly like ya – he hates you actually – I'm gonna be the strong one and do what I have to do to get my respect around here. _And _. . . why would you even want us to be . . . friends?" It came out as a question, "Even though you beat up the people that I care about." I whispered the last part so Angel couldn't hear me.

For a long minute, Fang just stared at me, smirking.

"Let's go," I said to Angel, tugging her along but still not taking my eyes off of Fang.

When I finally turned back around, we were about only ten steps away from him when he yelled at me, "Is Sam your boyfriend?"

I stopped in my tracks, took a deep breath in and then turned around to face Fang, starting to walk backwards, Angel pulling me along, guiding me through the mesh of people that swarmed around the sidewalks and around us.

"No!" I called back to Fang, "He's not my boyfriend . . ."

Even from half way down the block, I could still see Fangs lips turn up into a half smile.

My heart fluttered for a second . . .

What the hell?

* * *

-Fang

I watched her as she tugged her little sister away with her.

"Is Sam your boyfriend?" I shouted to her unwillingly.

What? Why did I do that?

_Maybe because you love her . . . _A tiny voice in the back of my head shrilled.

No, I don't _love _Max. Do I? No, there's no way. I've only known her for about two days. And she was in _Sam's _gang.

-_Flashback-_

_8 years ago_

_Sam and I were at the neighborhood park and I was pushing his little sister Maria on the swing set. She giggled as she went higher and higher up in the air._

_In the distance I could see the sun fading into the background and I glanced at my watch. "Hey, Sam, my mommy said that we had to be back home at 7:00. It's past that time."_

_Sam rolled his eyes at me as he made a sand castle in the sand box. "You gotta stop worryin', man. You momma's just trippin'. We don't need to be back at 7:00."_

_But I knew all too well that once it got dark, New York City wasn't safe for little kids like us._

_"Sam-"_

_"Stop freakin'!" Sam snapped at me._

_"Chill, bro." I said trying to calm him down._

_Maria looked between the two of us, back and forth. She was only five years younger that Sam and I at the time, so she was five years old. She had her frizzy dark hair pulled back in braids and her round face was soft and smooth. She had big dark brown eyes that matched her skin tone, just like her brother and she had the cutest smile out of all the kindergartners in her class. "Don't fight!" She demanded from Sam and I._

_Sam brushed her off and I gave her a small little smile._

_I went over to Sam and said in a whisper, "Come on, I don't feel good. I feel like something . . . bad's gonna happen."_

_He glared at me for a second then went back to playing with the sand._

_I shook my head at his ignorance. I leaned up against the slide and closed my eyes and just let my mind wander for a second. When I opened my eyes, I looked out onto the roads which were deserted, except for a large black van that was nearing the park, and slowing down. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up straight._

_"Sam . . ." I said in a desperate voice._

_He kept playing._

_"_Sam_ . . ." I said more firmly._

_"What?" He hissed at me._

_I nodded my head towards the van, which was now parking on the side of the street. _

_Sam glanced as four guys, probably about in their twenties, hoped out of the car and smiled at us. I could see something shining in all of their hands as they approached us . . ._

_Switchblades . . ._

_-End of Flashback-_

I shook my head, trying to forget the memory of that night.

I looked back over at Max, who had stopped and spun around and was now walking backwards while she spoke to me, "No, he's not my boyfriend," she yelled back.

Relief flooded me for some strange reason I couldn't explain.

* * *

**Sooo that wasn't the end of Fangs flashback. I'll finish his flashback in either the next chapter or the chapter after that. I wanted this chapter to have a little bit of a cliffhanger to it. I really really really hoped that ya liked it! Please R&R! Thanks so much for reading!**

**R&R!**

**R&R!**

**R&R!**

**~Laurel Alex~  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's the next chapter. Please R&R and tell me how you like it! I really hope that you enjoy it!**

A Westside Story 9

-Fang

Why couldn't I stop thinking about her?

It's like she was some bad penny that kept showing up . . .

Only she wasn't bad . . . no, not in that way. But still.

I felt like a stalker, thinking about her so much. God help me.

-Max

"Max, Max, Max!" Angel said, jumping up and down excitedly.

"What, what, what?" I said, mimicking her tone.

She pointed at a flyer that was posted on a bulletin board at the little restaurant we were at, getting dinner.

"What is that?" I asked her.

"A masked ball!" She said her smile so radiant.

Oh no, she couldn't possibly want me to go to that.

"Oh," was all I said in response.

"Max! you have to go!" She pleaded with me.

"No way, I'm so not going." The waitress came with our order: One large cheeseburger for me and a bowl of Mac-and-cheese for Angel. That was her favorite thing in the whole world – well, besides homemade chocolate chip cookies, just like me.

Angel's eyes started getting really big and innocent – damn those Bambi eyes.

"Aw, come on! Please, no," I told her taking a bite into my juicy burger. Yum.

"But Maaaaaaax . . ."

I looked back over at the flyer. "You probably have to pay to get into it."

She raised her eyebrows at me. "I know where you keep that stash of emergency money that you make somehow."

My cheeks reddened. Did she know how I made the money? By singing and playing guitar on the streets?

"You have plenty of money. Almost $2,000. I counted." She crossed her arms over her chest, getting all serious.

I sighed, "Look, Ang, this just isn't my thing."

She thought for a second. And just when I thought she was done on the subject, she added, "My birthday."

"What?" I asked her confused.

"My birthday," She repeated. "It's only a few days away. Let that be my present."

I looked at her like she was crazy.

"Let me do your hair, makeup and everything for the whole thing, please!" She begged. "It would be so much fun to go to a Ball with my sissy!"

_Don't fall for it. Don't fall for it. Don't fall for it . . ._

"Fine," I said grumpily, taking off a couple of pickles that were on the burger.

"Yes!" She yelled with so much enthusiasm. She did a little happy dance, smiled at me, then dug right into her dinner, grinning with every bite she took.

-Fang

Isaiah, the gangs leader spoke loudly to my gang and I, "Everyone. Listen up. I've got some news."

Everyone hushed down to listen. He held up a flyer, about a Masked Ball that was going on. "People all over New York City are going to be attending this gathering. You all know that our gang is meant to protect the people of NYC and there will defiantly be some idiots that are going to try and crash the party. I know that it's not really our style, the Masked Ball, but we're going one way or another to make sure nothing bad happens, got it?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good. Now, I suppose everyone should start looking for a tux. Don't worry about getting a mask. I'm taking care of that . . ." Isaiah told us.

Nodding, everyone agreed again.

For some reason, I had a very odd feeling about going to this Ball . . . and I didn't know why the heck.

**Really short, I know but please R&R thank you so much for reading! I really hoped that you like this chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey viewers . . . i really hope that you like this chapter! Well . . . I really hope you like all the chapters! Haha, well, anyways, enjoy! R&R and tell me what ya think!**

A Westside Story 10

-Max

"The Masked Ball is only two days away, Max. Two days!" Angel told me in a stern voice. I rolled my eyes. "We have to go shopping _now._"

I shook my head, "No, we don't have to go shopping now. You _want _to go shopping now."

Her bottom lip started quivering and I mentally smacked myself in the head. Then . . . came the much dreaded Bambi eyes_. _

_God damn those unholy Bambi eyes!_

"Ehh . . . Angel . . ." I cringed.

Her eyes started to get a little moister and the brim of her eyes watered. "Please, Max?" Angel's voice was truly heart breaking.

"Fine." I said curtly, kicking my bed frame.

"Yes!" She cheered. "Okay, grab your money and let's go!"

"What about this dress?" I said, holding up the dress.

She made a hacking noise, and pretended she was throwing up. "Put. The. Dress. Back."

"Eesh, fine, I'm putting it back," I said, hanging it back up on the railing.

Angel skipped through the store that we were in, and by the looks of the price tags, it was a good thing that I'd brought all my money with me if you know what I mean.

"How about this one?" She asked. She held an icy blue dress against her small figure. It was a bright glossy color, with glitter all over it. The straps were thick and a couple shades darker of blue, and in the same color, another thick ribbon was tied around the waist. The blue was the color of her eyes.

I nodded. "That one's pretty. Go try it on."

She trotted off to the changing rooms while I scanned for a dress for myself.

Looking out the window of the shop we were in, I could see the "Fine Clothing Store for Men" across the Mall. A couple men were shopping for work clothes I guess, but there was one person that held an all black tux against himself in the mirror. He had dark brown hair and tan skin . . . I knew him from somewhere but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Shrugging, I waved the thought away.

Angel hopped out of the dressing room and I smiled. "That's the one."

Her face was beaming, "I love it, Max! It's the best dress ever!"

I nodded. "Okay, so you want that one?"

"Yes!"

I laughed, "Go get changed and then we'll buy it for you."

A sales lady came up to me. "Can I help you find a dress, dear?"

I thought for a second, "Sure. Could you help me please? I don't really know what to be looking for."

"Well, what's the occasion?" She asked.

"A masked ball."

"Hmm . . ." Her face light up then she went off. A second later she came back holding a dress. "Why don't you go try this on?"

I took the dress from her and went inside the changing room. The dress slipped on over top of my body smoothly. I looked in the mirror and gasped. The dress was gorgeous. It was a golden toned color and gleamed whenever I turned. It seemed like it was glowing. It was long and when all the way down to my ankles. The low V-neck showed off my curves and tied around my neck and fell down my back. The dress was simple, yet it made my features stand out more, making me look more striking than I actually was. My golden hair looked brighter against the color of the dress, and my tan skin glowed. My eyes seemed dark and mysterious and the flecks of gold in my eyes matched the dress.

When I stepped out of the dressing room, Angel ran over to me and gushed over the dress. "Oh, my god! Max! That dress looks amazing on you! You're so beautiful!"

My cheeks tinted and I saw some of the guys that were walking by the store to stop and stare. One of the guys whistled and I tried my hardest not to blush even deeper.

"You have to get that dress!" Angel said, jumping up and down.

"Okay, okay. I'll get it." I sighed.

"Would you ladies want some shoes to go with your dresses?" The sales lady offered.

I nodded, "Yes, please."

I ended up getting a bare of heels that we the same color as my dress and Angel got a pair of white flats. We also bought our masks. I got a dark amber lacey mask that covered just around the area of my eyes. Angels mask was white with blue glitter.

Angel walked out of the store happily, swinging the bag of her clothing along side. We were passing the jewelry shop when Angel screamed.

"Max!" She pointed at the piece of fine jewelry in the by-passing mirror. "You have to get that! That would look perfect with your outfit!"

I looked at the price tag. "Angel . . ."

"It would so be worth it!"

Sighing, I counted the money in my pocket, making sure that we'd still have enough money to get into the Ball. "Fine." I gritted my teeth as she cheered and pulled me in to buy the piece of jewelry . . .

* * *

FPOV

I held a black tuxedo against myself and looked in the mirror. "I'd like to buy this one, please." I told the clerks at the desk. They nodded in there approval.

"Good choice," One man told me as he helped me pay for it.

"Thanks."

"Oh, look at her," he said, pointing to the store across from the shop we were in. It was a dress shop, and through the windows, you could see a girl in a slim gold dress. "She's gorgeous. I wonder if she's going to that Masked Ball."

"Huh. That's where I'm going." I told them as I paid for my tux. I took another glance at the girl and my heart thudded. Something about her seemed to be so familiar. She had blonde curly hair and a light tan. At her side was a small girl that resembled her only her hair was more blonde and by the looks of it, she had bright blue eyes.

Angel . . .?

Max.

It was Max!

"Wait, I think I know her . . ." I said in awe.

"Well, then you're one lucky man to know a girl like that," a clerk told me.

Was she going to the Ball? For some reason, I hoped so. And when I would be at the Ball, instead of having to guess who was who, I would know the girl in the golden dress. I would know her.

I smiled as I bought my tux and walked out of the shop, taking one last glance at Max in her dress before I left.

**How did ya like it? Please tell me with a reveiw! Thank you so much for reading!**

**R&R  
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**~Laurel~  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**IMPORTANT FACT ABOUT THE STORY! MUST READ THIS PLEASE! Okay, so I'm confusing myself. I went back through the story to reread over it and I'm just gonna make this clear. Fang's gang's name is the Blackouts. Max's gang is called Soaring Shadows. I worded it wrong, and made it sound like Max's gang had two names. My apologize. Anyways, here's the next chapter and I hope that you like it. R&R please.**

A Westside Story 11

-Max

"Max! Max, wake up!" Angel shrilled as she jumped up and down on my bed.

I groaned and grabbed onto her and hugged her like she was a teddy-bear and pretended to go back to sleep. She giggled and squealed as she struggled to get out of my grasp. I only clung to her tighter.

"Max, please! You have to get up! It's 4:00 in the afternoon!" She yelled at me.

"So?" I questioned her. "I always sleep in late on a Saturday. What's the prob?"

Angel tried pulling me out of bed by grabbing one of my feet. And to my surprise, she actually pulled me out.

With a loud _thunk _I hit the floor. I rubbed my head and muttered "ouch." I looked up at her as she stood over me, her arms crossed. "When did you get so freaking strong?"

She sits on my stomach and crosses her legs. "Ya know how people always say 'Eat your vegitables, it'll make you strong and healthy'?"

I nodded.

"Yeah, it's true."

I rolled my eyes and tried climbing back into my bed but she slapped me.

"Ow!" I cried. "Sheesh! Fine, I'm awake."

She smiles triumphantly. "Good. Now, go take a shower. I need to start making you look beautiful. We have to be at the Ball in _four hours._"

I mumble as I hop into the shower.

Before I knew it, Angel was banging on the door, telling me to get out of the shower that I'd been in for almost a half an hour.

Finally, when I was dry and out of the shower, Angel began applying makeup on me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, _slow_ down there, girly," I tell her as she begins to move towards me with a wand of mascara in her hand. "You never said anything about makeup. No. I didn't agree to this."

"Max." She says simply. "This is for my birthday present. Please, just do what I say for this one night. Please, Maxie?"

I sigh and sit down in a chair and let her do my make up. I don't look in the mirror when she finishes or when I'm slipping on the silky gold dress. Not even when she's doing my hair and putting in the piece of beautiful jewelry do I look.

A couple hours go by.

"Max. Look in the mirror. Please." Angel's voice is soft and in awe. "You look . . . lovely."

I turn around in the full length mirror and my eyes widen to the size of dinner plates.

The girl in the mirror is unreal. Her dark ash golden blonde hair as twisted into a bun, a few ringlets let loose to frame around her angelic face. Her skin and cheeks are smooth and soft looking, with a creamy peach color. Eyes, big and bold, so beautiful any girl would envy over. They were dark and the gold in her dress made flecks of gold stand out against her eyes. Her already long lashes were put to the maximum and fluttered with every blink. Parted slightly, were full and inviting lips that were glossy and soft. Her figure was elegant and curvy, that captured the dress at perfect ends like it was made for her. She stood tall with confidence and placed lightly in the bun, was an amber clip that gleamed in the dim light of the room.

I turned from the mirror and looked at Angel. "I look . . . pretty."

She smiled and jumped up and down excitedly. "No. You don't. You look gorgeous, Max. I have such a _gorgeous _sister."

I gathered her in my arms and hugged her. "Thank you, Angel. You're amazing."

She giggled, then swiped something off of the table. "Don't forget this."

Angel made me bend down and she delicately pulled the lacy golden mask over my head. She secured it around my face and sighed in satisfactory. "All done."

I smiled with her, "Now. You're turn."

She rolled her eyes at me and I began to pull her curly light blonde hair into a blue bow that matched her dress. As she pulled on the sparkly dress, I lightly applied some body glitter to her cheeks and let her use a little lipgloss and eye shadow. She smiled happily as she pulled on her mask.

The clock in our room said that it was 7:45 pm. I grabbed Angels hand, "You ready to have some fun?"

-Fang

We were at Isaiah's house with the rest of the gang. Isaiah stood on top of a chair to get all of our attention.

I looked around at my friends, my gang members. I couldn't remember a time when we'd ever looked this well dressed. I had on my tux and . . . I looked pretty good, I guessed. Everyone else around me looked like they'd just walked out from a wedding, everyone wearing black tux's and all.

"I just want to let you all know, that everyone looks very nice tonight," Isaiah tells us. He's dressed in a black tux similar to mine; only he has on a white undershirt and a dark navy blue tie. He reaches into a bag that he'd brought and takes out a handful of black simple masks. "Each one has the initials of our gang on it, TB – The Blackouts – so that we'll know who's who at the Ball." He handed the masks around to everyone. "Put them on just as we're about to go inside. Tonight is going to be a night expected to be fun for some people. But for us, we're protecting everyone. If anyone notices any signs of trouble, look for one of your gang members, or me, and we'll take care of it. Make sure that you always have a low-profile as well. The police don't know that we're the protection for the night. No one does. But we're still the ones that are going to take care of our city. Be careful, and don't get caught doing anything that might get you in trouble or that you might regret."

-Max

We paid for our entrance fee's as we walk into what used to be a large 5-star restaurant, but now, for tonight, was a picture out of a fairy tale.

Any trace of dinner tables were gone, and replaced with bars that were pushed off to the side that were piled with delicious treats. Fine music was played by a band at the far corner of the large room. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling and people in fancy gowns and suits danced in the middle of the room, laughing a mingling with each other.

Everyone wore masks.

Angel tugged on my arm. I looked down at her and the smile on her face was priceless. It was such a beautiful smile, I never wanted her happiness at this moment to stop.

"Come on!" She says as she pulls me into the middle of the dance floor.

She and I started swaying our hips to the music, giggling and grinning like crazy. This was probably one of the happiest moments in my life.

I glanced up at the large double-doors that Angel and I had just walked through as a large group of guys walk in, all wearing black masks with the letters "TB" written on them. One guy with dark glossy hair scanned the crowd and when his eyes landed on me, he gave me a smile and then a wink.

**Thank you for reading, and I hoped that you liked it. Please R&R**

**~Laurel~  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**La la laaaa going to see Vampires Suck with my best friend in the whole world todayyyy! Woo hoo! Ha hahahaha anyways, I hope ya like the chapter! Please R&R and thank you for reading! Enjoy!**

A Westside Story 12

-Max

Angel guided me over to the snack table so she could get a bite to eat. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she saw the mounds of fancy food piled onto platters. "This looks so yummy!" She squealed as she took a bite of a thin crack and what looked like small dots that were spread on top. Angel made a face and threw the cracker away. "Eww . . . not as good as it looks."

I laugh and pull her along to get a cup of punch.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I spun around and found myself staring into deep brown eyes . . . that looked so familiar.

A white smile spread across his face. "Hi. Would you like to dance?"

"Uhm . . ."

Angel tapped my leg and I looked down at her. Her eyes were wide and she was smiling. "Dance with him!" She hissed at me.

"Angel . . ."

"Please! I'll be fine! I found some cheese and crackers at the snack table that look hald-way eatable . . . I'll be over there, now go have fun!" She pushed me a little, causing me to take a step forward to the guy. He took this as a yes, and placed my hand in his as he guided me to the middle of the room, where everyone was dancing smoothly.

He pulled me into a tight spin, and brought me into his strong, capable arms. He gave a cocky grin.

"Okay, tell me, who are you?" I questioned him as his arms snaked around me.

"A person," he said lamely.

I rolled my eyes. "No freaking, duh. Do you have a name?"

He nods. "Sure I do."

I scowled. "Well . . . are you going to tell me what it is?"

He thought for a second. "Maybe."

My eyes narrowed. "Tell me."

He shrugs. "My name is . . . Nick."

"Are you sure? Because you don't sound like it."

Nick laughs. "I'm sure."

The music sped up the tempo a little and we glided on the floor smoothly. I felt like I was in one of those movies where when the boy and girl start dancing everyone turns to stare in wonderment . . . yeah, that's what was happening now.

"Looks like you have a crowd," Nick says as he pulls me even closer to him. I push back against him a little and looked in the direction he was staring at.

A group of boys had stopped dancing with there dates to turn and stare at me and Nick. I blushed lightly.

One of the guys walked up to us and looked at Nick. "May I dance with her?" He asked like a gentlemen.

Nick looked hesitant for a second then grinned at the boy. "Sure."

There was only one problem.

WHAT IF I DIDN'T WANT TO DANCE WITH HIM?

Well, I guess that was just too damn bad, cause he was already placing his hands on my waist. He wore a black suit with a white undershirt and dark green glossy tie. He made an attempt at giving me a dazzling smile.

My eyes scanned the crowds of people dancing, and finally my sight landed on Nick, who was dancing with another girl that was trying to get his attention, but he kept looking back at me longingly.

"I'm Charles. What's your name, gorgeous?" The boy I was dancing with asked.

"Max," I said, simply.

Charles eyebrows rised. "Max? Isn't that . . . a boys name?"

I sighed. "Apparently not, since that is my name, and obviously, I'm a girl."

He nodded slowly. "Right." Charles spun me lazily and then pulled me up to him.

"Slow down, there," I told him quietly as we moved with the current of other dancers. Nick looked back at me again and winked.

My heart beat a little faster.

When Charles and I passed Nick and the girl he was dancing with, Nick grabbed my hand and replaced mine with his girls hand in Charles. We'd switched dance partners.

Charles scowled and the girl looked a little surprised.

"I'm back," Nick said, hushed.

I laughed. "Yeah, you are."

We danced for about five more minutes, then the song ended. Nick let go of me reluctantly and smiled as he walked away from me. "Thanks for the dance, Max."

"Sure." I smiled back, and then realization dawned on me. "Wait, how did you know my name?"

He looked taken aback for a second. "What do you mean?"

"I never told you my name . . ." I took a step closer to him, "Do I know you?"

Nick gulped and shook his head slowly. ". . . no, you . . . don't know me."

"_Then how did you know my name?" _I demanded.

-Fang

_Dammit._

_What was I supposed to say now?_

_Wait a second._

_I'd heard Max and that other dude talking while they were dancing. She'd told him her name was Max. Yeah. That could be my excuse._

I ran my fingers through my hair. "I . . . heard you tell that other guy you were dancing with your name."

Max's face softened. "Oh. Sorry. My bad . . ."

I took a step forward, trying to reassure her. "No, it's not your fault."

She shook her head. "Never mind. I have to go find my sister."

I reached out after her but she was already gone.

When I turned around, Isaiah was standing there, crossing his arms, looking out through his mask. "Who was that?"

I shrugged and looked at the floor, any where but at him. "No one."

"You sure about that?" He questioned me. "Because I heard you say her name was Max."

Another shrug.

"Didn't you tell me about this girl . . . Max? About how she's in Sam's gang?" His voice was rising a little.

"Does it matter?" I shot back, with as much venom in my voice as I could get. Then I felt regretful about that. Isaiah was my leader. He knew what was right and wrong. He's always looked out for me and here I was acting as rude as hell. "Sorry," I said under my breath.

He shook his head.

Clearly, he was disappointed. "If she hangs out with Sam, she's bad news. Stay away from her, Fang. You can do better than her."

That wasn't true. And I knew that.

**ta-da! Please Review! Thank you so much for reading!**

**Now, I'm gonna go to the movies! :P**

**heheheheh**

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**~Laurel~  
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	13. Chapter 13

**Hehehehe okay, so I hope that you like this! I'm starting school in two days so, please don't be mad at me if I don't upload for a couple more days. Wish me luck at school! Oh, and the reason it took me so long to write this chapter is because the whole time I was on facebook and I kept getting distracted . . . sorry. Okay! Sooooo anyways. Please R&R and I hope that you enjoy it!**

A Westside Story 13

MPOV

"You're already done dancing?" Angel asked as she shoved a handful of fancy cheese and cracker into her mouth. I resisted the urge to laugh.

"Yeah, I'm done," I told her as I took a bite of a thin cracker.

She shrugged and then her face lit up like a candle. "This has been the best night ever, Max! I even made some new friends!" Angel pointed to where a group of younger kids about her age were all giggling and playing around in a corner.

I smiled. "That's great, Ang. Make sure that you get their mommy and daddy's numbers so that you can call them to play with you sometime," I told her.

She nods and hurries off over to them.

I sigh.

I stand there, by myself, not really knowing what to do.

Then, all of a sudden, there's a loud _crash! _that fills my ears. My head spun around to see what all the commotion was about, and I saw him, _Nick._

Beside him was a shattered vase that'd hit the marble ground. But he wasn't concerned about that. All his attention was dwelling on the guy he was cornering into the wall. I could see that his jaw was set.

I gasped when he punched the guy and he fell down to the ground, holding himself.

"Nick!" I yelled at him. "What the hell are you doing?"

His eyes widened at me and they looked urgent. "Max. You need to stay away. Alright? Just for a little while . . ."

"What? You're not making any sense right now," I tell him, confused.

He shakes his head. "Never mind."

"You gonna tell me why you're beating this guy up?" I questioned.

He shrugs. "Maybe."

Just then, a guy wearing the same mask as Nick appears and places his hand on his shoulder. "I'll take it from here." He takes a glance at me and sighs. "Go with her, if you want, but don't do anything you'll regret, got it?"

Nick's eyes light up like a candle. "Yes, sir!"

The other guy grumbles. "You're a lucky, kid," he tells Nick. He turns back to the boy that's cowering in a corner. "You? Not so much."

Nick loops his arm through mine and escortes me away from where the other two boys start fighting.

"What was that?" I asked sternly.

He just shakes his head and continues to pull me along. I realize a second too late that we were heading out into the gardens in the back.

He opened the large double doors for me and I walked out slowly. I stood there in awe as I took in the scenery.

The sun was just slowly setting in the distance, and the sky was turning a warm pinkish-orange color that reminded me of water colors and how they mixed together so freely. White lights hung around trees and bush's of roses and the grass was perfectly manicured. In the middle, there was a gazebo that had more lights spun around the bars and roses blooming at the sides.

I blushed and realized how romantic this would be.

Nick took my hand in his and we walked around the stone-covered pathway that wound around the garden of lit up roses.

"So, you really want to know what was going on back there?" He asked slowly, as if he was afraid he might say something wrong.

"Duh," I say.

He smiles and chuckles lightly then he speaks in a more serious voice. "Uhm . . . I am in a . . . g – group. Yeah, a group. And, well, we make sure that everything goes right in this city. If . . . we see any signs of trouble or if anyone's in danger, we go to help." He shrugs.

I stare at him. "So . . . you're like sorta a cop?"

"Uh . . . sure."

_Then you might not want to be hanging around this dude, if he's all about being the good guy. What would he do if he found out all of the regretful things you've done before? _A voice in the back of my head nagged me.

We walked in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

It was a silence that was filled with many unspoken words.

"I should get going . . ." I say all of a sudden and turn around to go back inside of the large mansion-like building.

"Wait," Nick says, grabbing my arm. He lightens his grip on me as I stop.

"What?" I ask him a little curtly.

He looks at the ground, like he was thinking about what to say. "I . . . just don't leave me yet, okay?"

I mumble a small "Okay," as we continue our walk.

I realize that I'm standing too close to him; that if anyone were to see us we would appear as a couple. I inch away slowly from him. "Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about," he says in a low husky voice and wraps his arm around me securely.

We keep walking.

"But . . . I don't know you," I say lamely.

He sighs. "But I know you."

I don't know whither or not to feel flattered or scared at this stalker-ish remark.

Now, we stand on the sill of the gazebo, the lights illuminating his smooth skin and face, or at least what I could see that wasn't covered by his mask.

And then someone shouts.

"TB!"

Nick looks in the direction and a group of guys wearing the same masks as him are all crowding around at the door of the mansion, seeming to be waiting for him.

He curses. "I want to see you again, okay? Promise?"

I nod quickly, not knowing why. "I promise."

His eyes flood with relief. And the last thing I have to remember him by is his soft lips pressing against the corner of my lips – and then he's gone.

FPOV

A gang member of mine, Bart, nudges me as we hop into our large black vans as we leave the masked Ball. "So. Who was the girl?"

I shrug and look out the window.

"You banging her?"

I cringe at his terms. "Leave me alone, man."

"Whatever dude. Just forget I asked."

And I do forget about him.

Because in my mind, all I can hear is Max's voice saying "I promise" over and over again inside my head.

**I really wish Fang was my boyfriend. Just saying.**

**Hahahah so how did you like it? Please R&R! I'd really love it if everyone that can review does. Please and thank you!**

**I love you viewers!**

**You make writing so much more fun!**

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**~Laurel~  
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	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, I'm sorry I don't update much. School is so hectic. Really, I am sorry. And I'm updating A Westside Story because it's one of my favorite stories I've written. Thank you for all your reviews. Please R&R.**

A Westside Story 14

MPOV

"Snap out of it!" Angel yelled at me as she snapped her fingers in front of me. We were walking back home from her school.

Shaking my head, I sigh. "Sorry, Ang."

She eyes me. "What are you thinking about," she asks me in her all-too innocent voice.

I shrug. ". . . Nothing."

Her eyes narrow on me. "You're thinking about that guy that you danced with, aren't you?"

The truth was, that I couldn't get him off my mind, but she didn't need to know that. But I shook my head and answered to quickly. "No!"

Angel's face lights up. "You are! You are thinking about him!"

I shake my head again just as my face starts burning. "No . . . I'm not," I lie lamely.

She laughs. "You're the worst liar ever, Max, and you know that! So don't even try."

I laugh stiffly with her.

A shadow looms over us as we continue walking. I glance over my shoulder and my lips part in surprise.

"Fang?"

He gives me a crooked smile and my heart leaps for some stupid reason. "Hey."

"Uh . . . hi." I blush lightly and I mentally slap myself for it.

"Yeah, hi," his smile widened a little at the corners. "So, did you have a good time last night?"

I gave him a confused look. "What?"

His smile falters. "Uh, last night. The Ball?"

My eyebrows scrunch together. "Wait, you were there?"

His smile completely vanishes and the look on his face is heartbreaking. "No . . . ," he says slowly. He scratched the back of his head and looks down at the pavement. "I . . . never mind." He shakes his head and starts walking away.

"Fang?" I call out after him.

He just keeps shaking his head as he walks in the opposite direction of Angel and I.

FPOV

I don't know why I thought she'd remember.

My smile fades. "Uh, last night. The Ball?"

Max looks at me oddly, and my stomach drops. "Wait, you were there?"

_Yes, and I was with you the whole night . . ._

I scratch my head and look down at the sidewalk. "No . . ." I lie lamely. "I . . . never mind."

I turn around and start walking away from Max and Angel.

"Fang?" Max's voice says in a perplexed voice from behind me.

I shake my head and keep walking away from her.

I knew that I'd told her my name was Nick . . . but could that black mask really fool her? I thought if she just saw me, then maybe, maybe . . . she would see _me_. That maybe she'd know I wasn't the bad guy in her world. That maybe I was the one that she seemed to love being with last night.

That maybe that I cared about her . . .

I shook my head again.

Not everyone can be happy in life.

So why should I be?

MPOV

_Was he at the Ball? _I stared at the ceiling in my small room I shared with Angel. _What did it mean when he asked me that? How did he know I was there?_

I studied the ceiling more carefully and continued to puzzle myself with thoughts of Fang. _He was there, wasn't he? But . . . _who_ was he?_

I groaned in frustration.

Swiftly, I sat up in bed and listened quietly for a second. I could vaguely hear Angel and the other foster boys out in the living room fighting over the TV remote.

Usually, it took Angel about a half hour to get the remote from the boys, and they made lots of noise.

I had time.

My sleek guitar felt like led weight as I propped it up in my arms as I cuddled up on the side of my bed. My skin was like glue against the neck of it as I placed the tips of my fingers around it. I strummed the guitar lightly, only allowing a small fragile sound to escape from its strings.

I faintly sang and strum along to the lyrics of "The Only Exception" by Paramore.

_When I was younger  
I saw my daddy cry  
And curse at the wind  
He broke his own heart  
And I watched  
As he tried to reassemble it_

I paused to hear if Angel had stopped fighting for the remote.

Nope.

_And my momma swore that  
She would never let herself forget  
And that was the day that I promised  
I'd never sing of love  
If it does not exist_

My momma never made a promise to me. She only made a promise to drink.

Tears formed at the corners of my eyes.

_But darling,  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception_

_Maybe I know, somewhere  
Deep in my soul  
That love never lasts  
And we've got to find other ways  
To make it alone  
Keep a straight face_

I have to be strong for Angel. It's the only choice I had. It was my fault that mom had died. If I wasn't so eager to go to school that day, we wouldn't have gotten in the car, and drove right in front of the truck . . . It's my fault Angel doesn't have a Mom.

_And I've always lived like this  
Keeping a comfortable, distance  
And up until now_

_I had sworn to myself that I'm  
Content with loneliness_

But I wasn't. I need Angel with me.

_Because none of it was ever worth the risk_

_Well, You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception_

_I've got a tight grip on reality  
But I can't  
Let go of what's in front of me here  
I know you're leaving  
In the morning, when you wake up  
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream_

_Ohh-_

_You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception_

_And I'm on my way to believing  
Oh, And I'm on my way to believing_

All of a sudden, the bed room door swings open and Angels standing there, her face astonished. "Max?"

I scramble to put the guitar away back in its' case but its no use. She'd already seen it.

"You were playing that?"

I nod slowly and look at the strings on my guitar. And then, I feel the light pressure of her coming onto the bed and crawling up next to me, and then her small arms wrapping around me.

"That was beautiful, Max," she said in an awed voice.

I brushed her curls with my hands and hugged her back. "Thank you, sweetie."

I held her, and I felt tears start to stream down her cheeks. "I miss mommy." Her sobs shook her small body.

I held onto her tightly. "I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry."

That was when I knew how badly not having a mother pained her.

I know I'll never forgive myself.

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**~Laurel~  
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	15. Chapter 15

**Almost my birthday! Woo hoooooo hahaha lol**

**huh. my ex texted me he was still getting me a present... should i feel awkward or thrilled that he remembers? hahahah lol idk**

**ANYWAYS! i hope you like the chapter! Please R&R! Thank you!  
**

A Westside Story 15

-Fang

Words would keep replaying themselves over and over again as I lay down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"_Wait, you were there?" Max asks naively._

I groan and punched my pillow.

Why did I have to ask that? Of coarse she didn't know that it was me. Right . . . because a flimsy little mask could keep her from knowing who I was . . . _right._

Ugh. I was taking this way too seriously. I need to chill.

Just then the phone rang by the side of my bed. I looked at the color-ID then yelled down the hallway, "I got it!"

I pressed "speak" on the phone. "Man, I thought I told you never to call my house."

"Fang," Isaiah said calmly, "Relax. If one of the kids had answered the phone I wouldn't have told them who I was. No worries."

I shake my head and sigh. "Sorry, you're right."

He's quiet on the other end of the phone for a second, then he speaks up. "What happened with you and Max at the Ball?"

"Nothing." I don't want to tell him this.

"Fang . . . she's with _Sam_, our _enemy._ Tell me what's going on. Now." His leadership skill took over in his voice.

I winced. It's not like I could lie to him . . . "Okay . . . on a scale of one to ten, how mad would you be if I told you that . . . I might love her?"

I could hear something being broken in the back around over the phone – a vase or something glass? Then all I heard what Isaiah yelling at me. "YOU CAN"T BE FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE ENEMY, FANG! YOU KNOW THAT! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? SHE'S A BAD PERSON, A BAD GIRL! YOU CAN'T _LOVE _HER!"

I slammed my fist on my bed side table. "But the problem is: is that I _do _love her! Don't get pissed off at me for that!"

My voice sounded small next to his powerful one, and I hated that.

It was wrong of me to fall for her, but I wasn't backing down on what I'd just told him. Because it was the truth.

I could hear Isaiah growl into the phone. I shutter went down my back. "You're not aloud to see her any more," he says firmly.

"What?" I sputter. "You've got to be kidding me! Isaiah! No! Please!"

I can imagine him shaking his head. He's already made up his mind. "No, Fang. Next meet we have with the game, I'm letting them know. From now on–"

"Whoa whoa whoa! You can't let the guys know! You can't do that, Isaiah! Don't do it!" This wasn't right. It wasn't _fair_.

"_From now on,_" he says again, his voice rough and angry, "I will have someone from the gang with you, so if you encounter Max, someone will be with you. You can't lead her on anymore than you already have."

"I don't need a babysitter! She's not a bad person; please, listen to me . . ."

"I've made my decision, Fang. You can't see her anymore. No more. Think of how much this could put your brothers in danger?" He meant the gang. "If she knew that you . . . _loved _her . . . then she could use that against you. Manipulate you, tell you that everything's alright, get inside to the gang . . . she could tell this all to Sam, and if Sam knew everything we knew, well, the gang is as good as dead."

"But . . . she wouldn't do that," I say defeated.

"You don't know her that well, Fang," he tells me more softly. "It's okay, man. Just listen to _me. _You can't trust her. She's as good of a person as Sam. And what is Sam?"

I answer quietly. "No good."

"_Exactly. _Now you get it," he says proudly of me. "Remember, you can't see her anymore. I'm letting the guys know at the next meeting tomorrow. I'm sorry, Fang, but it's for the best. Really, it is."

And with that, the phone goes dead.

-Max

I needed to find Fang; I need to know what was going on between me and him, because frankly, I didn't have a clue.

_Where the hell am I supposed to find him, anyways?_

Hmmm maybe the alley that I met him before? It looked like it was an alley to a big warehouse . . . maybe he lived there?

I grab a couple dollars off the kitchen counter. "I'll be back in a little while, Angel!"

"Okay, Maxie! I love you!" She shouts from the play room where I assumed she and one of the smaller boys around her age were fighting over some Lego's.

"Love ya, too, baby!" I closed the door behind me, and locked it. I dashed down the sidewalks outside and thought of something: what if I didn't remember exactly which alley it was when I'd first met Fang? There's a million allies in New York City. How am I supposed to find the right one?

My jog to where I thought I'd met Fang didn't falter. I finally came across and alley that resembled the one that I'd met Fang. Worn bricks, shadowy, trash cans every where, with a horrible odor that rebelled off. But then again, this could be just like any other alley. I looked to the side and saw the same, large, abandoned looking warehouse and I knew I was at the right place.

Finally, when I got my nerves up, only then did I knock on the ratty door. I heard someone barging down some stares and then the door swung open.

In the doorway stood a small boy that could only be eight, or nine years old at the most. His sandy blonde hair was wispy and looked soft. His skin was fair. He had piercing sky blue eyes that bordered into my brown eyes, which were framed with his long pale blonde lashes.

This boy was the spitting image of Angel.

He gave a small smile. "Hello?"

"Uhm, hi," I say awkwardly, a little flustered. "Uh . . . is Fang around?"

The boy looked surprised then shrugged. "Yeah, come on in. He's upstairs."

Taken aback, I stepped inside.

I looked around myself, and realized that this warehouse really was abandoned – well, except for Fang, this little boy, and whoever else lived here. The walls had long cracks in them and it looked like a little mold was growing out of them. Filmy lights flickered over head and the tiled floors looked very unclean.

The little boy took me up a flight of stairs and the room got better.

The walls were painted a cheap color mint green, but it looked a lot better than the walls down stairs. Instead of tile, the floors were bordered with worn out wood, and slightly dusty. A couple lamps were around the room, and an old looking light hung from the middle of the ceiling. Underneath the light, there was a large wooden table, with a couple seats around it. There were a couple rugs on the floors and a small kitchen that looked well-kept enough. An old TV was at the corner of another large room and a few un-matching couches were facing it. Another stairwell at the end of the room, led up to the bed rooms, I assumed.

All in all, the place was . . . homey.

The little boy caught my attention. He pointed up the stairwell, and told me. "Third door on the right. That's his room. Oh, and I'm Gazzy."

_Gazzy? What kind of a name is that?_

I smiled at him. "I'm Max . . . I'm . . . a friend of Fang's."

"Okay," he said, then scurried off to plop himself down in front of the TV. I realized as I was going up the stairs, that someone tall with strawberry blonde hair and a pale complexion was snoozing on the couch. His arm was in a sling.

The memory of the day my gang and Fang's gang got in a fight flooded back to my memory. He was part of Fang's gang. And he'd gotten hurt.

A pang of guilt hit me and I paused on one of the steps. I kept going after a second.

I got onto the hallway and turned to Fangs door. I knocked, and waited a second before Fang opened it, and saw me standing there.

I gave a small smile to him. "Hey."

**Hmmmmmmmm R&R? Ex txted me he wants me to go to his football game :P should i go? ughhhhhhhh hahahahahhahahahah lol i dont know!**

**Please R&R! Thank you so much for reading and I hoped that you liked it!**

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**~Laurel~  
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	16. Chapter 16

**Hey, sorry I haven't uploaded in a while. School has been crazy. But, the next marking period is coming up this Friday, so I'll have a four day weekend . . . even though i have two football games to go too, two Halloween parties, my best friend's birthday and exams to study for (hahahahah) I'll TRY to update... Please R&R this chapter!**

A Westside Story 16

-Fang

Max. Max was standing in the doorway to my room.

Max was smiling – at me.

Max was saying "Hey" to me, and I just stood their like a dummy.

I ran my fingers through my hair. "What the hell are you doing here?"

-Max

"What the hell are you doing here?" was not what I expected to come out of Fang's mouth when he first saw me.

I narrowed my eyes. "Uhm . . . we need to talk?" I asked more as a question.

He shakes his head and pushes past me. He grabs my hand in his warm and calloused one and takes me back down the stairs. "You can't be here," he mutters.

I stop. "What? Why not?"

He spins around and looks at me like I'm crazy. "Do you even know why you're here? Why you even want to talk to me?"

I look at the floor and whisper, "No . . ."

"Then why are you here?" He asks me angrily now.

My head shoots up and I stare at him fiercely. "Why are you all of a sudden mad at me? You're the one that's always running into me in town, acting all cocky and desirable."

He looks taken off guard. "I . . . what?"

My eyes widen as I realize what I'd just said. Blood rushes to my cheeks. "Just . . . just forget the last part . . ."

Fang shakes his head and then tells me in a more serious voice, "You can't be here . . ."

"Tell me why not and maybe I'll consider listening to you," I snap back.

"Fang? Everything okay, man?" I hear the boy with the strawberry blonde hair shout from downstairs.

"Everything's cool, Ig," Fang tells him.

"Everything is _so not _cool," I hiss to him.

I can see the wheels turning in Fangs head as he makes a snap decision. "Follow me."

Down another corridor, I follow Fang. He leads me down a narrow hall and then up into what I think is the attic. A small window is unlocked and he pushes it wide open. He takes one step out – stepping on the platform of the roof, I'm assuming – and then beckons me to come towards him. "Come here, I want to show you something."

I shake my head. "I'm not going out on the roof . . ."

He steps back inside and takes my hand. He looks me straight in the eyes. "Don't you trust me?"

-Fang

Finally, I got Max to come out onto the roof with me. It was perfectly safe. The roof was made of a flat platform so we wouldn't slide off of it.

When I got her to come out, her expression was in awe.

She overlooked the warm purple and red skies as the golden sun began to set in the distance. City lights were already beginning to be turned on and it gave the buildings an aluminous glow. Cars and buses rushing by underneath us on the streets gave off a hum and I could hear the sound of some people playing instruments on the side of the roads for money.

I looked back over at Max.

"I've never seen New York like this before . . ." She admits in a hushed voice.

"What? You're kidding me, right?"

Max shakes her head. "I mean, I've seen New York at night before, but . . . not like this."

I nod my head, understanding a little of what she was saying. I went to the edge and sat down. I patted the spot next to me and Max hesitantly came over to sit next to me.

The wind was blowing hard and Max's teeth chattered a little. I shrugged off my jacket and wrapped it around her. She gave me a grateful smile.

"So, what's going on?"

I looked at my shoes. "My . . . my gang leader, Isaiah, says we can see each other, or talk to each other any more . . ."

Her lips part a little in surprise. She doesn't look at me.

**Cliffy, huh? Mwuahahahah (that's my attempt at an evil laugh...) ANYWAYS! Thank you so much for reading and I hope that you will R&R! PLease REVIEW!**

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**~Laurel~  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**Yup. I know that this chapter is very very very short, but hey, it's my story and I wanted it to be like that. hahaha so I had an amazing thanksgiving! I got to hang out with my cute 1 year old baby cousin alllllll night. So how was your thanksgiving? **

**I'm gonna try and upload all of the stories today so make sure you read them! And also, I might make a new story. Idk... i might. But I had a dream last night (hahahah i sound so dramatic) about a new story for me to write! hahahah soooo yeah, that might happen! Anyways, please R&R and I hope that you like it!  
**

A Westside Story 17

-Fang

"Max, wait, please," I begged.

Max just shakes her head, disappointed, as she makes a beeline for the door. "Forget it. I don't even know why I'm here."

"Fang?" Gazzy says in a questioning voice from behind me. "What's wrong?" He looks over at Max as she tries to open the front door. "It's locked," he tells her.

She nods a small thanks at him and twists the lock so that she can open the door. Max steps outside and rushes away from me.

I turn back to Gazzy and give him an exasperated look. "Why'd you tell her it was locked? I needed to talk to her."

Gazzy shrugs and looks up at me with his big innocent eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

I sigh and scratch my head – I can't let her walk away from me. She . . . she means too much to me.

So, I made a snap decision.

I bolted out the door after her.

-Max

"Max!" Fang yells from behind me, "Wait up!"

I cross the busy roads of NYC, not even caring that I almost got plowed over by a massive truck that honked at me. Cabs and people in their own cars rushed past me as I dodged them on the road.

Fang was still following me.

I ran straight out into the traffic again, not carry at all about what I was doing as long as I was away from Fang.

Now that I think about it, it was sorta ironic how just a little while ago I wanted to be right next to Fang – now I didn't even want to breathe the same air as him.

I take a step onto the pavement of the side walk where everyone is walking everywhere. I'm taken into the mob of them, trying to figure out which way to go.

_He doesn't really care about me . . . If he did, he wouldn't listen to Isaiah. _

_He doesn't care about me._

_He doesn't care about me._

"_Max!_"

I turn around just in time to see a bus coming towards Fang.

_Please, no. _

Fang is in the middle of the street, out of my reach. The bus is closer to him . . . and it's not stopping.

"Fang . . ." I say in a hushed voice. I take a step out into the road again. I don't have any control over myself any more. It's all my legs and feet that are taking me to him. "Fang."

Realization hits me like a brick. "Fang!" I'm running now.

Then, the bus hits Fang. Tears are streaming down my cheeks now.

"Fang . . ." I whisper.

**Please R&R**

**Thank you so much for reading!**

**I'm thankful for my viewers (you!)!**

**Please:**

**R&R  
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**Loveee,**

**Laurel**

**P.S. please check out some of my other stories  
**


	18. Chapter 18

**Wow, I haven't updated in a LONG TIME. Huh, i feel like a jerk . . . oh well, I hope this chapter is worth the wait. Thank you so much for reading! I love you guys! heheh... anyways, this chapter is a little religious - sorta. But you'll see what I mean if you read it. Tiny bit OOC for Max. But still good, I think. Please R&R and thank you so much for reading! I hope your having a wonderful holidays!**

A Westside Story 18

-Max

What would you do if God kept hitting the replay button on your life? If everything you never wanted to see again kept flashing before your eyes, what would you do? How would you react? What actions would you take?

What would you do if the people you loved kept getting hurt?

-Fang

* * *

Darkness consumed me.

It was like nothing was really, and all I was doing was walking into nothingness. There was no sky, no breeze, no feeling. Just the soft sound of my feet walking onto the blank floor. Where I was, I don't know. It might has well have been limbo, if I didn't know any better.

Where was I? A black cave? At night? I couldn't see anything.

_What was happening?

* * *

_

-Max

He was unconscious.

"_FANG!" _

Time seemed to slow down and the image of Fang getting hit would repeat over and over again in my head, mocking me. Then, I saw the same image of my mom, Angel and I all in our car on the way to school. Then the bus was coming towards us. Then there was light.

Then nothing.

_This isn't fair. This can't be happening to me again. _

I felt like I couldn't get to him quick enough. Cars swerved to avoid hitting me as I ran straight into the street where Fang's limp body lay. A large puddle of blood was forming next to him. Horrible wasn't even a good enough word to describe how Fang looked.

Finally, when I was by his side, I dropped down to my knees and grasped onto one of his arms. "_Fang . . ." _my voice sounded shattered. I nudged him a little, but nothing happened. My vision blurred as tears started to form in my eyes and spill over my cheeks. "Fang!" I started shaking him.

Time went back to it's normal pace. "Fang! Fang, you _have_ to wake up! You have to wake up for me!"

Vaguely, I was aware of the driver from the truck stepping out of his car, dumbstruck. He looked horrified.

"Call 911! 911, someone call _911_!" I shouted to the people walking by us, staring like this was some sort of reality show.

The driver pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911. "Hello?" He gave our address, what happened and all the information the station needed to get to us. "Someone's on their way," the driver said to me. "You . . . you can step away from him." His voice trembled.

I shook my head and cried into Fang's chest. Silently, I prayed to God that he would be okay. I'm not a very religious person, I don't pray all the time. But if God was real, he could hear me – I was sure of that. And if he heard me, maybe he could help.

My body raked with sobs for what seemed like hours but was probably only minutes. A second later, someone with a firm grasp on my began to lift me from the ground. It was a police man, a look of pure dread stitched onto his old face. "Let me take care of this."

I began to hesitate, but he tried giving me a smile. "Trust me."

Another set of hands pulled me away, a police women, her hair pulled back neatly into a tight bun. She leads me over to a cop car and has me lean against the side of it. "Were you hurt?"

I shake my head. No.

"Are you in shock?" She feels for my pulse at my neck.

I pause and then nod.

She sighs and then grabs a water bottle out of her car. "Drink this. Slowly, don't gulp it down."

The bottle feels like a million pounds in my hand but I mange to hold it up. With shaking hands, I hold up the bottle to my lips and take a few sips. I glance around to see Fang being pulled into and ambulance, his body lifeless. I turn back to the cop. "Is . . . is he going to be okay?" My voice sounds so small and pathetic next to her brawny voice.

She sighs again and shakes her head. "I don't know, kid. He looks pretty bad." Her eyes dart back over to the ambulance. "What . . . what were you doing when Thompson got you to look up at him?"

Assuming Thompson was the other cop that had pulled me up, I realized what she meant. I looked down at the ground. "Praying to God to save him for me."

**See what I mean by religious? Yeah, I just felt like I needed to have Max believe in something, in someone. Sorry if you don't like but please R&R! thank you so much!**

**R&R**

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**Love, Laurel  
**


	19. Chapter 19

I'm sorry I haven't updated in such a long time, and I'm sorry that this still isn't an update. Recently, a friend of mine and so many others has just passed away today after a very traumatizing car-crash from a couple weeks ago. There were, I think, three passengers. Thank God, the other two didn't get hurt, but the other person did. Alex's brain was cut off from oxygen after going into a coma. Through out these past weeks, family, friends, and just ordinary people have prayed for him, sharing stories of how Alex's life couldn't be wasted. And now I know that it won't be, because I know he'll be with God. Alex lived by one motto – Never Back Down. This motto helped him succeed in his very short life; whether it be with grades, or helping his teammates win a crosscountry meet for our high school. At the age of 18, Alex passed away today at 4:03 pm, January 7th 2010, leaving his amazing and loving family behind. Matt, his younger brother in sixth grade, held his hand throughout the whole time. A picture of Matt holding his older brothers hand in the hospital was taken. As Alex left our world, he was surrounded by the people that loved him the most: his mom, dad, and little brother. Now, everyone that know him and some that haven't even seen him before, are living out to his motto. I plan to do so as well. A life like yours can't be wasted, Alex. I know God will take care of you, and I know you're looking down upon us. You will _never _be forgotten, and we know that during your fight for life, you weren't backing down. We love and miss you, Alex. You're in our hearts. Please, say a prayer for Alex and his family tonight. It will make all the difference. Thank you so much for reading.


	20. Chapter 20

**As I was writing this next chapter, I checked the last chapter that I had uploaded and was sorta freaked out a little as I realized that it was about Fang getting hit by a bus . . . and then there was my authors note about my friend Alex getting into a car accident . . . It gave me a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Maybe I'm physic? Nah, that's just my grandma . . . Anyways, Alex's family is doing much better. Alex's little bro came by my house the other day to hang out with my brother… and I know he's better because he's making fun of me again . . . Thanks for all your support and I hope that you enjoy this next chapter. Please R&R when you're done reading!**

-Max

Have you ever gone to sleep one night, blinked, and then it was morning? Well, I keep staring at the clock here in the hospital and time ain't going by too quickly.

Not fast enough.

Fang had gone into surgery about two hours ago. They should be done now . . . why was it taking so long? Dammit, I was freaking out. I tilted my head back against the cheap cushioned chair I was sitting in as other people sat down around me in the waiting room. My eyes slid close as I drummed my fingers against the wooden arm rest.

I could hear the receptionist at the desk answering the phone; the sound of a baby crying; people talking; the wheels of a gurney rolling across the aseptic-smelling tiled floors.

My eyes scrunched together, hard.

Something behind them pricked, and tears started forcing through. They streamed down my face, making tracks down my cheeks as they spilled over the wells filling in my eyes. Small whimpers escaped my lips and I shuddered. _He had to fine. This was _Fang _I was talking about. Nothing can happen to him . . ._

Right?

"Miss Ride?"

The voice was old and innocent. My eyes shot open to an aged lady with glasses down to her nose bending down, peering at me. A name tag on her much dated wardrobe said that her name was Margaret. I was guessing that she was the receptionist.

I sat up a little straighter in my chair and nodded, wiping away the tears from my cheeks. "Yeah, that's me."

She gave me a small smile. "The doctor just told me that Nick just came out of surgery about half an hour ago. You can go see him now, if you'd like."

But I wasn't listening anymore. I'd already leaped from my chair and was running down the hallway to Fang's room. How I knew which room was Fang's, well, beats me. I just kept running, and then I just knew where to go. I stopped dead in my tracks outside of a door that said room 125 on it.

Slowly, automatically, my hand reached out and touched the curve of the cool metal doorknob. I turned it and walked in.

What I saw, I was not prepared for. Fang, he was patched up, machines by his side, no doubt keeping him alive. He looked up gradually as he heard me come in and the heart monitor sped up a little.

I resisted the urge to giggle as he muttered a small "Dammit" as the heart monitor quickened.

I stepped forward and pulled up a chair to the side of the bed he was lying on. We just looked at each other, both waiting for the other one to speak first.

"Please don't cry, Max," he said in a crackling voice. "I can't stand it."

_What? I wasn't crying. _"I'm not crying," I tell him in a hushed voice.

His arm with a hospital band around it reached up sturdily and touched my face and then pulled back, showing me the clear liquid that was on his fingers now. "You're crying," he clarified.

I shake my head and look down at my folded hands in my lap. My blonde hair falls down in front of my face, shielding me. "No, I'm not," I whisper.

Fang's hand touches my hair and pushes it back from my face and I look up at him through my eyelashes, desperately. His right cheek has a long cut going down from his eyebrow to the middle of his cheek. His eyes burn with something that I couldn't place my finger on as he stares at me, pats the side of the mattress next to him. "Lay down with me?"

I pause for a second, afraid that it might hurt him if I lay down next to him, putting pressure on his wounds.

"Get over here, I'll be fine," he reassures me, seemingly reading my mind.

Sighing, I bend down and position myself cautiously next to him. My head softly hits the pillow that his head is lying on. His arm comes around me carefully, trying not to move too much. I inch forward into the curve of his chest so that he doesn't have to strain himself to get closer to me.

"Thanks," he said as his chin rests on the top of my head.

We just sit there for a little while. I can feel him playing with a strand of my hair and I don't mind like I might have with anyone else.

I watch the all-too fast beeping of the heart monitor. "Calm down, please."

He takes in a deep breath of air. "I can't whenever you're around me," he admits.

Pausing for a second, I begin to sit up, "Then maybe I should go?"

"No!" His eyes are pleading with mine and I can't help but lye down next to him again. "Don't leave me, Max."

My eyes squeeze shut. "I won't."

He's quiet for a second. "Promise?"

I don't say anything for a long time, and then I lean back and look into his dark, gorgeous eyes. "I promise," I tell him.

And the thing is that I meant it with all my heart. Something inside of me broke as I thought of Fang getting hit by that truck; I shuddered and held onto him tightly as I ducked down into his chest again.

I felt him move as he leaned down a little and placed a small, sweet kiss on my forehead.

**Hmmm I need myself a Fang of my own... ANYWAYS, so tell me how you liked the chapter? I'm home sick today so that's why I finally had time to write the chapter! Lacrosse, cheerleading and exams are TOO MUCH for one 14 year old girl like me! I don't know how I'm gonna make it . . . lol jk I love writing fanfic's for you guys! Please R&R for me and tell me honestly how you feel about the chapter!**

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**heheh thanks for reading!**

**Love, Lauren  
**


	21. Chapter 21

**R&R!**

-Fang

No one can ever really predict how life plays out. People can try and plan out how their future will affect them, how successful they may be. But it never works out that way, now does it? I'd have to be an idiot if I hadn't realized that by now.

In my left hand I was holding onto all I would ever need. I felt strength, reassurance and purpose repelling from her finger tips, moving through my body. Life could throw any obstacle at me at the moment and I was 100% sure that I could handle it as long as I was holding her.

"Why are you smiling?"

Max looked up at me with those curios brown eyes, smirking.

We were walking back to my place from the hospital _finally. _I'd been stuck in that hell-hole for a good seven days and it felt amazing to be up outside in the city. Much to my dismay, Max was carrying all of my bags with my clothes and belongings I'd had with me. I would be doing it myself but the doctors had suggested I relax a little – Max was taking it to the extreme.

"I was just thinking about how amazing you are," I answered her.

Not once had she left my bedside. Her little sister, Angel, was being babysat and taken care of, Max assured me.

Max giggled and leaned into me as we walked, causing one of my duffel bags to slip off her shoulder and make her loose her balance. She reached out to catch it but I was already slinging it around me.

She scowled, obviously furious. She swatted at my arm playfully. "Give it. Doctors orders. You had a lot happen to you, and you got a concussion. You don't wanted to put to much stress on your body, Fang, or else it might do more damage," she told me knowledgably.

My eyes narrowed. "The only damage I might have is from you hitting me."

Dramatically, she rolled her eyes. "Please. It was just a love tap."

At this I smiled and pulled her in closer to me. "A love tap, huh? So you love me?"

Color rushed to her cheeks as she giggled and tried pulling away from me. "Stop it. _Faaannng,_" she ushered drawing out my name as I began to tickle her.

At the moment, my life was seemingly perfect with Max, but I knew it wouldn't last forever – I'd have to be an idiot if I hadn't realized that by now.

-Max

"Gazzy!" I yelled into Fangs warehouse, heaving as I dragged all of Fangs crap up the stairs with me.

"Max."

I looked around to see Fang at the bottom of the stairs with the one duffel bag he'd managed to hold onto. He leaned against the railing, defeated. "Do you think maybe you could not yell? It's not exactly helping . . . sorry."

I arched my eyebrows, concerened. "Yeah, I'm sorry, I didn't realize—"

"It's fine, Max." He smirked, looking up through his fringe of silky hair and my heart skipped a beat.

Before I knew it, Gazzy came rushing to the top of the stairs, came trampling down and launched himself onto Fang.

"You're BACCKKKKK!" Gazzy screamed with excitement.

I slapped my hand against my forehead. "Gazzy, shhhhhh!"

He gave me an innocent look and then nodded, taking the bag from Fang and helping him carefully up the stairs one at a time. I gave Gazzy a grateful look and proceeded to go up the stairs.

"Where's Iggy, Gaz?" I heard Fang ask.

I turned around to see a beaming Gazzy. "He's out on a date," he announced proudly.

Fang stopped in his tracks. "Really? Who the hell would—"

I cleared my throat. Fang looked up innocently and smiled. "Right. Uhm, with who?"

"This really pretty girl named Ella that he met from the coffee shop. Remember when Iggy and me came to visit you the first time when you were still in the hospital and we brought coffee and we were late?" Gazzy asked in a rush.

Fang nodded.

"Yeah, Iggy met her that day! He had accidentally spilled his coffee all over her when he'd turned around so we had to get more coffee! Iggy kept looking at her with this weird look and then gave her his number to call him if she ever wanted to go out. He said it was his way of making it up to her for almost burning her too death? Whatever." Gazzy shrugged.

Fang and I made eye-contact. "Well, I know what I'm gonna be doing tonight," he hinted.

A smile broke out that I couldn't contain. "Yeah, and what's that?"

Fang didn't answered. He just kept smiling at the ground as he walked up next to me with sudden strength. He leaned in and pressed his lips firmly to mine. "That's a sneak-peak," he whispered.

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	22. Chapter 22

**Finally, some real Fax. I know you guys are gonna like this chapter for a reason (not to be cocky, or anything like that though). I'm so happy I finally wrote this chapter! Please R&R! I hope you guys like it!**

-Max

"Just put that down behind the door," Fang tells me as we walk into his room. I place one of his bags down where he tells me and sigh, taking in the sight of his room, never having the chance to had seen it before.

The walls were a plain cream color and had dents and scratches everywhere, as if the room had been used many times before and was in need of a paint job. Mmm, maybe later I'll help him fix it up. A twin sized mattress was pushed off to the side of the room with a random arrangement of mismatching pillows and blankets. I small window was the only source of light that allowed the room to be visible, as it was obvious the old lamp that was unplugged and thrown into a corner was broken.

All in all, his room was very . . . simple. Nothing really that claimed it as his stood out. It was as if he only had what he needed, which apparently wasn't that much. In a way, the room was somewhat depressing.

I meet his watchful eyes. "Your room is . . . comfy," I offer him.

He smirks and slowly lowers himself to sit on the ledge of his mattress. "You don't have to lie to me, Max. I know my room is a piece of shit. It's not exactly a secret."

In return, I give a small smile and shrug. "Why don't you have any posters or books or . . . or anything in here to describe you?" I think back to my room. Yeah, it's crappy and small but I still have my music, guitar, books and everything that sums up me as a person in that room. Fangs room leaves me questioning how much I really know about him.

Fang dips his head down, allowing his silky hair to fall, covering his eyes. He stares at the floor, as if waiting for it to come to life and answer my question for him. Finally, he responds. "I guess its because I never feel at home."

Moving over to him, I kneel down in front of him, trying to catch his gaze. "What do you mean?"

Another long minute of silence goes by before he finally looks up at me with the beautiful, desperate eyes. I find myself getting lost in them as he explains himself. "I . . . I always have this nagging feeling that someday, I'm gonna have to just get up and walk away from everything and never come back. I always tell myself, why make myself feel at home when in reality, this isn't my home? I just doesn't make sense."

"No, it does." He has no idea how much sense it actually makes to me. "You don't have to be afraid to tell me that kind of stuff," I whisper into my hands. I stare down at them, noticing a freckle on my palm.

Then, his hands are entering my vision, taking my much smaller hands into his. I look up to him, watching him as he pulls me closer towards him. "Max, remember in the stairwell, when I said _That was a sneek-peak_?"

Gradually, I nod.

Hesitantly, he removes one of his hands and moves it towards my cheek, cupping it. My eyes close as his rough, calloused hands move against my soft skin. He traces my temple all the way down to my chin, just so lightly as he pinches my chin, angling it up towards him. My eyes shoot open at the sound of his nervous voice.

"I wanna try something with you. Different than what we've done before, okay?" His eyes are searching mine.

At that moment, he could have said that he wanted to try pushing me out the window to see if I would turn into a Max-pancake and I would have been more than fine with it. The look he was giving me now was just unworldly.

"Yeah," I say so softly, I'm afraid he may not hear me.

But he does. "Close your eyes, Max."

This is where I start to resist. It's just an instinct for me to have my eyes open, I couldn't help it. If my eyes were closed I felt . . . unprotected and questionable. I liked being able to see everything around me, knowing what was going on. I didn't know how to say no . . .

"Max, please," he begs in the most heartbreaking voice.

Screw it. My eyes slide close as my heart starts beating faster.

"Just . . . go along with it, okay?" Fang says. I can feel his warm breath on my face, meaning he was leaning in.

He doesn't wait for my response. His lips are crushing mine, moving slowly at first then gaining speed as he realizes I'm mimicking what he's doing. His breath is like a tidal wave of minty coolness and something sweet I couldn't place. I couldn't get enough of it.

Fang starts wrapping his arms around me, carefully, I notice. After he realizes I'm completely enveloped in him, he starts leaning back against his mattress, bringing me with him on top. Not once does his lips move from mine - until his mouth starts trailing down my neck.

I'm breathing hard as he places small kisses everywhere on my bare skin. His lips seem to sear my skin everywhere they touch.

"Fang," I mutter out softly. I can't help but be worried that I'm too much weight on him just after he's gotten out of the hospital. "Fang," I say more sternly. He pauses. "I . . . I don't want to hurt you."

-Fang

Honestly, I hadn't realized how much pain I was in with her on top of me until she'd mentioned it. I didn't really care if it was hurting me. She needed to realize how much I love her no matter how much pain she put me through. It was a good pain though, but by the look in Max's eyes, I knew that unless I fixed this she wouldn't be able to enjoy herself.

I smirk to her and start removing myself from her. She gives me a regretful look (much to my pleasure) and tries reaching out for me. What Max didn't understand was that I was just repositioning myself so that I was on top of her. She smiles up at me as I straddle her with her legs wrapping around my waist. I hold her face in my hands, admiring her stunning beauty as she reaches up to kiss me again.

Both of us are breathing hard as I start trailing down her neck again. She's sighing as I kiss her right between her collarbone and her neck. Ah-hah, I found Max's weak spot! My hands leave her cheeks as they start to move down to the rest of her body. I can feel her tensing up against me, analyzing what was going on. But to relax her, I placed my lips on hers again, kissing her more urgently, faster than before.

I could tell she liked this by the way she ran her hands through my hair and up and down my shoulders. Her fingers itched at the hem of my T-shirt, playing tricks with me.

"Do you want it off?" I ask her, my breathing uneven.

She nods quickly and helps me pull it off over my head.

-Max

God fucking dammit, I'm in trouble.

Fang tosses his shirt across the room, giving me a minute to admire his gorgeous body. I'm serious, he puts every Abercrombie and Fitch model to shame with those abs. Before I could help myself, my hands are pressed against his chest, running all over his rock solid body. Fang tilts his head back at this, obviously enjoy the feeling.

I resist the urge to laugh.

I pull him down to me again, my hands working at the back of his solid shoulder muscles. Good God . . .

Again, his hands start to move down to the rest of my body that was covered underneath him. This is where I start to get nervous but he takes away all my worries by kissing me hard, making me loose my concentration.

Just like I did to him, he starts playing with the hem at my shirt. I close my eyes then look back up at him. "Do you want it off?" I ask, a total replay of what had just happened seconds ago. He smiles then tugs my shirt off even quicker than he had with his. Thank goodness I'd worn my only pretty bra . . . I would have been so embarrassed if I'd just worn a sports bra like usual.

But, apparently, he doesn't care about the bra very much . . . because within a minute more of his kissing, it's gone and on the floor with my shirt.

All I can say is, this was the happiest moment I'd had in years. He had that power over me, I realized.

What happened next just made me realize how badly I'd fallen in love with Fang.

**Oooooh my gosh, this was just such a fun chapter to write! Hahahahah I better get some reviews for this! (At least I hope I do) because this is some real Fax, if I do say so myself! If you didn't like it, still review and tell me what you didn't like! I'm so serious when I say that the review are what make me want to keep writing! They motivate me! So please! Review!**

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**LOVE LAUREL  
**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey everyone! I hope you all like this chapter. It's a LITTLE innapropriate but it's funny! Have mercy on me . . . Also, by the way, check out my new story _Her Invisible Wings. _I've already gotten a couple chapters going for it, I just would like more people to read it hahaha. Anyways enjoy this chapter! **

-Max

Peacefully, I laid in Fang's arms as I woke up in a very cliché manor as the morning's sunlight started streaming through the window. Before I could help it, I was running over ontop of Fang, placing a small kiss on his cheek.

With his eyes closed, he broke out into a smile, then snapped his arms around me. I gave a girlish yelp as he rolled over so that we were both gazing into each others eyes.

"Ya know, I could get used to waking up like this," he says in a whisper then starts kissing me softly.

I smile into his kiss and wiggle out of his embrace, realize awkwardly we were both still naked. I pull the sheets to his bed around me tightly, suddenly shy and uncomfortable. "I should probably go and get Angel off to school."

Fang smirks and then rolls his eyes. "It's Sunday, Max."

"Oh. Right. Heh." My bad . . . I was just so caught up in the moment, I guess. I wasn't thinking rationally, being so close to him and all.

He eyed me closly, then pulled me into his chest. "Wanna go steal Iggy's breakfast?" he asks simply.

I can't help but giggle as I nod into his body. "Let's go."

* * *

The rest of the day, Fang and I laid lazily in the couch in front if the TV as he held me closely into his arms. He played with my hair then switched to rub my shoulders which felt AH-MAZING. Suddenly I realized how comfortable I felt around him, how I was never self-conscious or nervous around him. It felt great to be with Fang like this so casually, not giving a care in the world.

Up until the moment Gazzy came running out with a box of Fang's condoms in hand.

I couldn't help it, I lost control. I held my stomach as I started laughing hysterically. Gazzy turned to Fang with and innocent face. "What're these?"

I fall on the floor, not being able to contain myself.

Iggy peaks his head out of the kitchen, the mimics what I'm doing as he see's Gazzy and what he's holding. Gazzy turns to Iggy and walks up to him with the box and points to them. "Do you know what these are?"

Iggy nods and bites his lip.

"Well, ya gonna tell me?" Gazzy questions.

I look over at Fang to see him sitting still, in shock, his face turning red. HE WAS BLUSHING! This waa just pure joy for me.

"Uh," Iggy ponders as he scratches his strawberry blonde hair. "They're balloons."

"Oh," Gazzy says as he sits down on the floor and pours out the box's contents. Slowly, he starts counting out the 'balloons' and then stares in frustration at the box. "Fang, the box says that there's supposed to be 12. I only counted 7."

This is when my face starts turning red. I slap my palm against my forehead as Iggy turns to us with a bewildered look. "What were you guys _doing?"_

"What do you think we were doing, idiot?" Fang expresses in a irrated voice. I start rubbing his back in soothing circles to calm him. He leans in to press his lips lightly to my neck.

"Ew, noooooo. I don't want the visuals," Iggy yells out, covering his eyes as he runs to the other room. I hear him run into something as he cusses quietly under his breath. I giggle then lean back into Fang.

Painfully, Fang watches as Gazzy plays with the condoms on the floor. "Gazzy. What are you doing?" he asks as Gazzy starts unwrapping one.

"I'm gonna blow one up. I like balloons," he explains. Before Fang and I can do anything, he'd already put his mouth on it was blowing air into it. Okay, now this was just wrong. I shake my head at the floor as Gazzy ties the end and gives his balloon a funny look. "These have a weird shape, Fang."

I feel Fand nodding next to me. "Yup, they aren't that great of balloons," Fang plays along. "So maybe you should stop using them. They're a waste of your time."

Gazzy thinks for a second then slowly starts to stand up and points at Fang. "No! You just want all the balloons for yourself! You don't wanna share with me! Well guess what? I'm taking all of them!" Gazzy cackles as he runs to his room, holding all the condoms in his hands.

Fang turns to me with a twisted look on his face. "Well, that was an interesting start to the day."

**Heheheheh that's awkward. How did you like it? PLEASE tell me in a review! Thanks! Love ya guys!**

**R&R**

**Love, Laurel**


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